Colorado has the most creative people in the country, according to a nationwide study from the National Endowment for the arts. 65 percent of Coloradans “personally perform or create artworks,” according to the research.
Other Western states, including Montana and Utah, were at the top of lists measuring participation and attendance in the arts.
Margaret Hunt from Colorado Creative Industries said this attendance and creation of art is because of Western states’ efforts to bolster rural economies with art programs. She also cited Colorado’s growing young population, and increasing access to technology,[ which allows easier creation of art.
Hunt’s group has only been able to measure employment statistics before this.
It’s the first time the National Endowment for the Arts has released state-by-state data since the agency started researching art participation in the ’80s.
You can read more about the data here.