The Red Stick's Growing Entertainment Economy
A decade's worth of data shows that Baton Rouge is a growing hub for employment in creative fields
Baton Rouge’s entertainment economy is booming. From 2019 through 2021, employment in arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations shot up 18 percent. The growth rate is considerably higher than estimates for the nation and the rest of the state, both of which saw employment in these areas fall over the same timeframe. This occupation group is wide-ranging and includes everything from interior designers to professional coaches to broadcasters. This 18 percent growth translates to 700 new jobs over the two-year period.
The figures in the table above reflect growth rates in five of the 23 major occupation groups as classified by the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. In addition to art and entertainment occupations, employment in healthcare, management, and community/social service occupations rose more than 10% while building cleaning/maintenance occupations increased 6%.
This data implies there is a growing vibrancy in Baton Rouge’s entertainment economy and shows that creatives are increasingly finding work in Baton Rouge, even after factoring in pandemic-era disruptions to employment in arts, entertainment, and media occupations. While our metro neighbors to the south command significant entertainment and cultural capital, it’s clear that Baton Rouge has grown its employment in arts and related occupations over the past couple years.
Arts and entertainment employees are not confined to the arts and entertainment sector. Jobs related to the arts, entertainment, and media are found in industry sectors across the economy like finance, education, retail trade, and government. The occupations included in the table above like performers, coaches, public relations specialists, and graphic designers are vital to the health of any local economy, and the growing number of jobs in Baton Rouge occupied by creatives is a good sign.
One of the motivating metrics behind BRAC’s five-year strategic plan was the Capital Region’s relatively low score for employment in the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry. Baton Rouge ranked 35th out of 40 mid-sized peer metros for per capita employment in arts, entertainment, and recreation in 2018. Some of the peer regions that scored highest on this metric included North Port and Cape Coral, FL; Asheville, NC; and Lexington, KY - all these regions have attracted new residents at impressive rates due in part to their strong arts and entertainment economy.
The 2018 data did bring with it some good news: Baton Rouge had the third-highest per capita growth rate in employment in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector from 2013 to 2018 when benchmarked against the same 40 peer regions. The occupational data presented in this brief shows that the 2019 – 2021 growth in creative and entertainment occupations was just an acceleration of the pattern that took place over a full decade.
The creative economy touches the four key priorities of BRAC’s new strategic plan. Increasing arts and entertainment employment will help boost Baton Rouge’s image as a hub for creativity, helping attract soon-to-be college graduates and young professionals as a result. Any additional employment in arts and entertainment occupations diversifies our current industry base which is critical for a robust local economy. Also, increasing arts and entertainment employment may mean fewer people are having to work second jobs while they follow their creative pursuits and, instead, can earn a salary while doing what they love.
Continued employment growth in arts, entertainment, and media occupations is something we’ll continue to track, but the last decade proves we’re on the right path.