In January the United Arts Council released the second installment of the Creative Vitality Index (CVI) score for Wake County at its fifth annual State of Arts and Culture in Wake County meeting at the NC Museum of Art.

The CVI is a tool that states, counties, cities and towns can use to assess and enhance their creative edges. The 2013 Creative Vitality Index for Wake County was 1.10 ( the national baseline score is 1.00).

Nationally, the 2014 scores will not be available until summer 2015, when the federal government has had the opportunity to process Internal Revenue and Labor statistics for that year.

In places like Boston, Seattle and Raleigh, an energetic, open atmosphere attracts good companies and skilled workers interested in a high quality of life. Every community can strengthen its economic and cultural health by fostering policies that support creative vitality.

“This score reflects a recovery to 2009 levels and is the second year of an increase as Wake County comes out of the recent recession," says Eleanor Oakley, president and CEO of United Arts Council. “The CVI is an excellent tool for local arts and community leaders. It allows us to place Wake County in a national context and to consider ways to move policy and funding to address this area of the economy."

WHAT IS THE CREATIVE VITALITY INDEX?

The CVI™ is an annual measure of the health of the creative economy in a city, county, state or other geographic area. Think of it as the volume of creativity in a given area. The creative economy as defined in the CVI™ includes for-profit and not-for-profit arts-related enterprises. Using readily available data on employment and community participation, the CVI reflects the vigor of this sector of the economy and culture.

For more on the report, click here.