2022 Inland Empire

The creative economy in the Inland Empire never fully recovered from the Great Recession and stands in stark contrast to the 15% increase in overall employment since 2007. Prior to the pandemic, the creative economy workforce totaled approximately 38,000 in 2019, a 7.6% decrease from 2007 levels.

Of the five sectors, Entertainment and Digital Media and Architecture and Related Services account for the largest share of employment at 43% and 30%, respectively. That said, Entertainment and Digital Media saw almost no employment growth – less than 1% – between 2007 and 2019, while employment in the Architecture and Related Services contracted by almost 20%.

The pandemic caused an almost 8.6% decline in jobs from 2019 to 2020, which brought creative economy employment down by 15% from 2007 levels. The Fine and Performing Arts sector shouldered the biggest percentage losses, with employment shrinking by 4.3%. Like many other regions, the Architecture and Related Services sector saw employment actually grow—by 1.4%—over the course of the pandemic amidst continued demand for housing.

For more information on the regions, please download the 2022 Otis College Report on the Creative Economy.