The Arts Mean Business in Dubuque

The Non-Profit Arts & Culture Sector in Dubuque Generates $47.2 Million in Annual Economic Activity

The non-profit arts and culture industry in Dubuque generates $47.2 million in annual economic activity, supporting 1,530 full-time equivalent jobs and generating $5 million in local and state government revenues and $36.7 million in household income to local residents, according to a 2012 Arts and Economic Prosperity IV national economic impact study. 

"Everyone can agree that the arts inspire, educate, engage and improve quality of life in Dubuque," says Mayor Roy Buol. "The City Council has made the arts a high priority in our goals over the past decade. With this study, we now know, without a doubt, that the arts make good economic sense -- over $47.2 million dollars of sense. The arts are absolutely an economic force in Dubuque. Any city would roll out the red carpet for an industry which supports 1,530 jobs. The arts truly make Dubuque a 'Masterpiece on the Mississippi." 

The Arts & Economic Prosperity IV was conducted by Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and education, in 2012. The City of Dubuque was one of just 182 study regions that participated in the study.

Economic Impact Study Cover
Economic Impact Study Summary
Economic Impact Study Local Impact
Economic Impact Study National Charts

Annual Arts & Business Luncheon

The Annual Arts & Business Luncheon was instituted in 2016 facilitated by the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs to create a platform in which the arts and business sectors of Dubuque and the surrounding area could come together to network and learn alongside one another.

Due to COVID-19, the most recent Arts & Business Luncheon was held on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 and welcomed Carl Atiya Swanson, Associate Program Director of Springboard for the Arts, to the Grand River Center in Dubuque to speak on Springboard's Creative People Power initiative, a framework for combining creativity-driven and people-centered development to build strong, healthy, and resilient communities.  In addition to Carl’s keynote, the luncheon featured a conversation with local champions of arts and business cross-sector collaboration including Brad and Jillayne Pinchuk of Hirschbach Trucking, Jeff Mozena of Premier Bank, and Mark Wahlert of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra.

Evaluation and planning for future Arts & Business Luncheons is underway.

Arts & Business Academy

The Arts & Business Luncheon is traditional paired with an Arts & Business Academy workshop work to provide professional development and business skills training for artists, creative entrepreneurs, and arts and culture non-profits.

Evaluation and planning for future Arts & Business Academy workshops is underway.