When seven Central Florida counties were factored in, the study showed that the arts contribute $264 million annually to the economies of Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Volusia, Brevard and Polk counties.

Conducted by Americans for the Arts, aWashington, D.C.-based national advocacy group, the study did not measure ticket sales or entry fees, but tallied other spending created by cultural organizations — everything from the groups' rents and payrolls to patrons' expenditures on transportation and baby sitters.