A new report puts numbers to the scale of the arts industry in Chicago:

The report found that the sector’s direct jobs account for just over 11% of employment in the city, which the report says makes it a larger workforce than educational services, retail or manufacturing. Rice said there is not a single creative industry driving that number, but rather, it accounts for workers in arts education, design, audiovisual media, performing arts and beyond.

“When we talk about supporting the creative economy, we’re not talking about a single industry,” Rice said. “We’re talking about a broad network of workers, organizations and businesses that collectively power economic growth across our state.”

The report also found that for every $1 of output generated by the creative economy, another $0.38 is generated in local economic activity. And that the sector generates $5.7 billion in tax revenue annually, with $3.8 billion of that going toward federal taxes and $1.9 billion going toward state, county and local taxes.

Making the economic argument is part of living in the modern world. Even as the arts could talk about enriching community life or contributing to human expression, dollars and job numbers matter to many. If people think Chicago is about the financial industry or transportation, these numbers help make a case for the arts.

Or perhaps they could make the creative class argument: echoing Richard Florida, Chicago and other cities have benefited from the activity of creative class firms, organizations, and individuals who gather in major population centers.

Either way, the arts are an essential part of the big city. It is hard to imagine Chicago or any big city around the world without thinking of music, art, theater, and cultural events. When large numbers of people come together, there are unique opportunities for creativity and expression. Not that this cannot happen in smaller communities but cities bring together people from all over, have the capacity for both small and large events, and have a reputation for innovation.