While Minneapolis’ creative economy continues to grow, a new report shows that workers of color are underrepresented in creative professions.
Incomes for creative workers also lag below the median hourly wage for metro-area workers, according to the latest Minneapolis Creative Index report.
Gulgun Kayim, director of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy for the city, said the report will be a useful tool to help raise awareness about the issue.
“Our findings reveal a healthy creative sector and strong economic activity in the region, yet there is dramatic income and employment disparities around race, and to a lesser extent, gender lines,” Kayim wrote in the report.
Overall, workers of color make up only 9 percent of the city’s creative sector workforce. Nationally, people of color account for 17 percent of the creative economy.
Women, meanwhile, make up about 49 percent of the city’s creative workforce.
As for incomes, metro area artists earn a median hourly wage of $19.30 compared to $22.48 for all metro area workers.
The Minneapolis/St. Paul metro region ranks sixth on a list of the most “creatively vital” metro areas in the country. Top cities include Washington, D.C., followed by Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Boston, according to the Creative Index report.
Creative industry sales in 2015 were $4.5 billion — nearly eight times the amount of sales generated by the sports sector, said Rachel Engh of Pennsylvania-based Metris Arts Consulting during a presentation before a City Council committee Wednesday morning.
The publishing industry (print, software and music) accounted for the highest percentage of sales with more than $1 billion in revenue generated.
The number of creative jobs has also grown by 10.4 percent since 2006 in the city, compared to 7.2 percent job growth overall in the city.
Musicians and singers ranked as the top creative occupation in Minneapolis with 2,446 workers, followed by photographers (2,412), writers and authors (2,141), graphic designers (1,866) and public relations specialists (935).
Kayim said artists need strong art service organizations, training and educational resources to be successful.
She said interviews with creative professionals of color identified other needs, including more networking opportunities, mentors, increased support from arts organizations and spaces “where young people of color can engage in hands-on learning with people that look like them.”
Engh said a producer interviewed in the report identified the lack of spaces for young people, especially in North Minneapolis, to learn about filmmaking.
As for the city’s role, Kayim said there’s talk of developing a pilot program to connect artists of color to resources to help develop their business and technical skills.
“People of color and women need to have places to get support where they can learn from people who look like them, and this is the way we can ensure that women and people of color have opportunities to thrive in creative occupations in Minneapolis,” she said.
City Council Vice President Elizabeth Glidden (Ward 8) and Council Member Kevin Reich (Ward 1) also stressed the importance of supporting strong arts programs in the city’s schools.
“It is a big hole and a big need,” Glidden said.
Data for the Minneapolis Creative Index report was provided by the Western States Arts Foundation and Economic Modeling Specialists International.
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By the numbers: City’s creative economy
(Source: The 2015 Minneapolis Creative Index)
- $4.5 billion: Creative industry sales in 2015
- $20.79: The average median hourly wage for a Minneapolis creative worker
- 4.8: Percentage of Minneapolis jobs in the creative sector
- 9: Percentage of Minneapolis creative workers who are people of color
- 10.4: Percentage of growth in the city’s creative sector since 2006