ArtsFairfax Advocacy
The arts provide social, cultural, and entertainment value and have a significant impact on the economy. Art fuels our communities, provides educational and growth opportunities for all ages, and serves as a primary way to preserve and celebrate our diverse cultures.
Over 60 arts supporters gathered for the 2024 Arts Advocacy Day at the Fairfax County Government Center.
Fairfax Arts
Advocacy Day
April 23, 2025
4:00pm – 6:00pm
Fairfax County Government Center
Join ArtsFairfax when we testify at this year’s Budget Public Hearings as we illuminate the real financial, cultural, and emotional impact of arts and culture where we live. Let’s celebrate the strength and success of our local arts sector, together!
Arts & Economic Prosperity
Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) is the sixth economic and social impact study of the nation’s nonprofit arts and culture industry conducted by Americans for the Arts. The largest and most inclusive study of its kind, it documents the contributions of arts and culture in 373 diverse communities and regions representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Based on nationwide AEP6 data in 2022, the national arts and culture sector represents:
- $151.7 billion in economic activity
- 2.6 million jobs
- $29.1 billion in government tax revenue
>> Find the National Report here.
Local Impact
ArtsFairfax led the Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) research to discover the economic and social impact of nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Fairfax County. In FY22, Fairfax County’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $260.3 million, supported 3,070 jobs, and generated $43.7 million in tax revenue.
2024 Budget Presentation for FY25
We were so thrilled to see so many of you, your staff, and your board members at the 2024 Fairfax Arts Advocacy Day.
We especially want to say again how grateful we are to Cliff, Don, Phil, and Ray of the Fairfax Jubil-Aires for infusing our presentation with joy and music. When we can wave our fans and rouse the entire board auditorium to cheer and clap in the middle of a six-hour long evening of testimonies, we have demonstrated in the room the very transformational power of the arts!
2023 Budget Presentation for FY24
The 2023 Fairfax Arts Advocacy Day gathered our largest reception to date, demonstrating our community’s passion for the arts. We express deep gratitude to the following speakers: Jesse Benites, Director of Property Management, Tysons Corner Center; Hannah Joo, Curator and Founder, Community Art for Everyone; Ann Sica, Board Development Chair, Virginia Chamber Orchestra (VCO); and a performance by Osman Kivrak, VCO Principal Violinist.
2022 Budget Presentation for FY23
President & CEO Linda S. Sullivan was joined by Skip Chaples (Music for Life); Jaynelle Hazard (Tephra ICA); Evan Kaufman (Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation); A. Scott Wood and a live cello performance by student soloist Christopher Tate (Amadeus Concerts); and an original poem read by inaugural Fairfax Poet Laureate, Nicole Tong.
2021 Budget Presentation for FY22
In place of annual testimony and a performance from the art community, ArtsFairfax partnered with community arts organizations and artists to present a video compilation of work created during the COVID-19 shutdown. The message is a poem created by teaching artist and master poetess Tammarrah Addison with direction by visual director and filmmaker Catherine Bobalek.
2020 Budget Presentation for FY21
The arts are people, and it is people who fill our lives with art, creating our vibrant and engaging community. Please enjoy meeting a few of the many individuals committed to the arts in Fairfax.
Resources:
- Americans for the Arts: Why the Arts Matter in Virginia
- Virginians for the Arts: Support the Arts in Virginia