July 7, 1998
Leonardo still lives and he packs an economic punch
The “Leonardo Lives” exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum last fall and winter generated $15.5 million in business activity in King County, supported 314 jobs and created $5 million in labor income, according to an economic impact study conducted by a University of Washington researcher.
The exhibit, which was on view at SAM from October 1997 to mid-January 1998, attracted 236,000 visitors who spent $7.7 million in the Seattle area on food, lodging, transport- ation and other related costs, said William Beyers, UW professor of geography. Beyers has conducted a number of other economic impact studies including reports for the Washington State Technology Alliance, the National Parks Service, Corporate Council for the Arts and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, as well as studies of the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks.
“While the economic impact of the exhibition is not large in the overall context of the regional economy, shows such as ‘Leonardo Lives’ are part of the complex of things that makes a city livable and bring an ever-growing number of visitors to the Seattle economy,” said Beyers. “The exhibition is part of the mosaic of the cultural, sports, educational, business-entrepreneurial and environmental opportunities in the Seattle area that help create the perception that this region is one of the most attractive in the United States.”
The study, which included interviews with 818 people attending the exhibition, also showed that:
- Nearly 60 percent of museum visitors were from King County or Bainbridge Island. The other 40 percent were almost equally divided from elsewhere in Washington and from out of the state.
- More than half of the attendees (53 percent) had not visited SAM before and 95 percent of those questioned said they planned to return to the museum in the future.
- The majority of visitors primarily came to Seattle to attend the show. This ranged from 96 percent of the local people to 71 percent of visitors from out of state. ? Among those questioned, women outnumbered men 59 percent to 41 percent.
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For more information, contact Beyers at (206) 543-5871 or at beyers@u.washington.edu.
