On January 13, the United Arts Council released the Creative Vitality Index (CVI) score from 2014 data for Wake County at its sixth annual State of Arts and Culture in Wake County meeting at the NC Museum of Art. The CVI was conceived as a tool that states, counties, cities and towns can use to assess and enhance their creative edge. The 2014 Creative Vitality Index for Wake County was 1.02 (where the national baseline score is 1.00).
Among metropolitan areas, Wake County’s score rated just below Durham-Chapel Hill (1.20) and San Diego-Carlsbad (1.08). Oklahoma City ranks just below Wake with a CVI score of .98.
“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,” says Eleanor Oakley, President and CEO of United Arts.
Among other findings, the report shows that the five fastest growing creative occupations in Wake County are broadcast technicians; architects (excluding landscape and naval); broadcast news analysts; television, video and motion picture camera operators; and producers and directors.
According to Tim Giuliani, President and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, “Wake County’s demonstrated commitment to the arts will encourage further growth in the creative fields.”
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 nonprofit 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. The Creative Vitality Suite is a product of the Western States Arts Federation.