For 50 years after the arrival of the railroad in 1896, one-third of Broward County was drained to support agriculture. Today, farming has nearly disappeared and 410 square miles have become a typical post-1945 suburban development of roads and one- and two-story buildings. High- and mid-rise development exists in downtown County locations along the Atlantic Beach. There are 1.8 million people that live in 31 municipalities, the Seminole Tribe area of Florida, and other unincorporated county areas. Today, the adult population is 48 percent White, 24 percent Black, 23 percent Hispanic and 5 percent other.

Environmentally, 810 square miles or 66 percent of the County is protected Everglades. The climate is subtropical (75.4F aver. temp.), with wet summers and falls, and dry springs and winters. Broward County is home to 4,097 restaurants, 56 golf courses, 14 museums, 123 bridges, 288 parks and 3,000 hours of annual sunshine.

Broward Cultural Division

The Broward Cultural Division is the government-designated local arts agency that provides services to artists and arts organizations for Broward County. It is advised by the Broward Cultural Council through mandates from the Broward County Commission. The Division‘s portfolio includes public information, public art and design program, workshops and financial assistance.

Cultural Quarterly fine arts online magazine provides in-depth articles on the local, cultural scene, featuring profiles of exceptional artists and detailed listings of events and attractions. The Division’s website www.broward.org/arts, offers visitors a complete tour of more than 200 Public Art and Design projects, a searchable Cultural Directory; an arts education directory, a calendar of events database, a site to help cultural organizations manage county grants, cultural news, information and much more.

Cultural Organizations

Broward County’s cultural organizations make up the backbone of the art and culture industry. There are more than 550 not-for-profit cultural organizations eligible for government grants, Cultural Division support, and the support and financing of private and business partnerships and enterprises. There are more than 10,000 artists and 4,141 arts-related businesses that employ 18,629 employees in Broward County. (Americans for the Arts’ 2007 Creative Industries Report)

This becomes clearer every day, and every year in Broward County, where there is a growing network of cultural organizations, government and private partnership enterprise, and a diversity of multicultural arts and culture business endeavors, that are leading the way toward the new creative information economy. It is the statistics and growth percentages that tell the tale. The increase in tourism is heralded by a boost in hotel room stays and the steady increase in footprints through the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.  Also, an array of national and international performing arts showcases, theaters, visual arts venues, music and artists are blooming as a result of dynamic infrastructure and creative enterprise.  

Arts and Economic Prosperity III released by Americans for the Arts in June 2007 is the third study of its kind for the nonprofit arts and culture industry. It reports the economic impact of this industry on the nation’s economy, and includes results from 156 communities (116 cities and counties, 35 multi-county regions, and five statewide studies). Data was collected from 6,080 nonprofit arts and culture organizations and 94,478 of their attendees across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Nationally, spending by arts groups and their patrons grew by 24 percent from 2000 to 2005 and the nonprofit arts sector generated $166 billion annually in total US economic activity.

Visitors Spend More  

Non-local arts and culture event attendees spent an average of 67 percent more than local attendees per person.

Broward County’s nonprofit sector generated $153.9 million annually in local economic activity, a number that is comprised of $66.65 million in spending by nonprofit organizations and $87.32 million in event-related spending by audiences.

Broward County’s nonprofit sector generated $153.9 million annually in local economic activity, a number that is comprised of $66.65 million in spending by nonprofit organizations and $87.32 million in event-related spending by audiences.

The total number supports 4,258 full-time-equivalent jobs, generates $84.56 millions in household income to local residents, and delivers $14.64 million in local and state government revenue.

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