Giving to arts, culture, and humanities, 1968–2008
($ in billions)

13.04

12. 79

12. 67

9. 87

10. 83

7. 24

6. 11

6. 18

6.02

5. 32

4. 86

3. 71

3. 31

2. 46

1. 87

1. 26

0.60

Current dollars Inflation-adjusted dollars

1968

1973

1978

1983

1988

1993

1998

2003

2008

 

Giving to arts, culture, and humanities has increased steadily since the 1960s.

In 1988, the inflation-adjusted amount given to arts, culture, and humanities ($6.02 billion) divided by the number of American households ( 91. 12 million, using Current Population Survey data from the Census Bureau) results in an estimate of giving to arts, culture, and humanities of $66 (adjusted for inflation) per household.

In a similar calculation including giving from all donor types, by 1998, the number of households had grown to 102. 53 million and the per household average gift to arts, culture, and humanities had nearly doubled, to an average of $127. For 2008, with total estimated giving from all sources to arts, culture and humanities of $12.79 billion and approximately 116. 78 million households, donations to arts, culture and humanities declined to an average of $110 per household.

The calculations of giving “per household” include all households, even those that do not give to arts, culture, and humanities. They also include all arts, culture, and humanities giving, including that from corporations, foundations, and through charitable bequests. This allows for comparison over time and across subsectors.