AUDIO: Arts play a significant role in Bemidji economy

Featured photo: Sculpture in the Bemidji Arts Walk in downtown Bemidji 2020.

Arts are a big business for the Bemidji area.

During a work session Monday, the Bemidji City Council heard a report that highlighted the economic impact for arts in the community.

Bemidji City Council member Emilie Rivera reports that the economic impact of the arts was over $8 million.

The Creative Minnesota Study for the City of Bemidji is one of eight local reports recently released, with 28 city organizations part of the study, including the Beltrami County Historical Society, Headwaters School of Music and the Arts, Bemidji Symphony Orchestra and the Paul Bunyan Playhouse. 

Listen to the full conversation with Rivera here:


Larissa Donovan was the News Director for the stations of Paul Bunyan Broadcasting and has been, almost without interruption, since Election Day 2016, through July 2023. She covered all the beats in north-central Minnesota, such as local government, crime, education, environment and social issues. She studied communications at Bemidji State University. You can follow along with Larissa's live tweets of meetings and events on Twitter!


© 2020 HBI Radio Bemidji, LLC d/b/a Paul Bunyan Broadcasting 502 Beltrami Ave NW, Bemidji, MN 56601 This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area