The Creative Economy Prince George's County Deserves—And How We Build It Together
Turning Ideas into Action: The Power of Strategic Collaboration
Authors (Rhonda Dallas, MFA, LEED AP, PGAHC, Mark Lawrence, Inncuvate)
Prince George's County is brimming with creativity. Explore our neighborhoods and you'll discover filmmakers sparking conversation, designers igniting brands, musicians stirring emotion, and cultural entrepreneurs building experiences that unite us. The abundance of creative talent here has never been in doubt.
What we're missing is the connective tissue—the coordinated investment pathways, the shared narrative, the strategic partnerships that help creative enterprises scale from idea to sustainable business.
What the Research Tells Us (and What We Already Know)
The numbers tell a powerful story. Nationally, the creative economy contributes over $1.1 trillion to the U.S. economy—4.3% of GDP—and supports 5.2 million jobs. Maryland's creative sector alone adds nearly $13.7 billion to the state economy and employs more than 86,000 workers with compensation exceeding $7.6 billion annually. Maryland now ranks first nationally in public support for the arts and fifth overall for arts vibrancy.
Yet comprehensive research on Prince George's County's creative sector reveals a pattern we've all felt:
fragmented support systems,
capital gaps that stall promising ventures,
weak coordination between public and private resources, and
a persistent invisibility problem that keeps creative enterprises from being recognized as the economic drivers these numbers confirm they are.
Our creative entrepreneurs have ambition and talent—but need a unified ecosystem that recognizes them as essential contributors to our county’s economy.
The opportunity is undeniable: Maryland’s Arts & Entertainment Districts generated $149.5 million in GDP, $8.1 million in tax revenue, and 1,185 jobs in 2022. Prince George’s County already boasts innovation hubs like the Gateway Arts District and is primed for growth––now we need strategic coordination to build a thriving, interconnected creative industry.
This isn't a Maryland problem. It's a systems problem. And it's one Prince George’s County is uniquely positioned to solve.
The Stakes Are Higher Than We Think
Regions leading the innovation economy align public investment, private capital, workforce development, and creative talent to achieve shared goals. They know the creative economy is essential economic infrastructure—fueling jobs, revitalizing neighborhoods, attracting talent, and forging a unique, competitive identity.
The creative economy is outpacing traditional sectors. Cultural and creative industries now drive 6.2% of global jobs and 3.1% of global GDP. In the United States, creative economy jobs surged 650% from 2020 to 2024. Globally, creative goods and services exports have more than tripled in two decades. This is not a sunset industry—it’s a global engine where growth, innovation, opportunity are accelerating.
Prince George’s County stands out with its proximity to the nation’s capital, vibrant cultural assets, business corridors ready for transformation, strong anchor institutions, and a new wave of creative entrepreneurs. As one of Maryland’s most diverse counties—where 28.9% of households speak a non-English language—our cultural richness should power economic growth, not remain untapped.
Montgomery County’s nonprofit arts sector generated $183.8 million in economic activity and supported nearly 4,000 jobs in 2022. Prince George’s County has similar strengths, but without coordinated investment and infrastructure, we miss out on this economic potential.
Now is our window to act. With new legislation, development priorities, and funding decisions on the horizon, the narrative we build now will decide if creative enterprises become central—or remain on the sidelines—of Prince George’s County’s economic future.
A Different Kind of Conversation
This month, the Prince George's Arts and Humanities Council (PGAHC) is hosting a different kind of event: a Design Thinking Workshop built not to generate another report, but to turn ideas into action.
As the County’s legislated arts and humanities agency, PGAHC has long served as a convener, connector, and capacity builder for the creative sector. From investing in artists and cultural organizations to advancing creative placemaking, workforce development, and cross-sector partnerships, PGAHC’s work has consistently focused on strengthening the conditions in which creative enterprises grow and contribute to the local economy.
This Design Thinking Workshop builds on that track record—leveraging PGAHC’s convening power to align public, private, and creative stakeholders around shared economic outcomes and move the County’s creative ecosystem from fragmentation toward coordinated, measurable impact.
This isn't a brainstorming session. It's not a planning retreat. It's a facilitated action-driven strategy sprint designed to align existing initiatives, identify coordination failures, and design 2-3 concrete pilot programs that can launch within 90 days. Pilots require cross-sector collaboration to deliver real results. Pilots tied to real corridors, real funding opportunities, and real pathways for creative entrepreneurs to access capital, space, and market connections.
The workshop operates from a few core principles:
Creatives are economic actors. Artists and creative entrepreneurs are businesses, employers, and workforce pipelines—not just cultural enrichment.
Coordination, not creativity, is the bottleneck. We're not here to invent new programs; we're here to braid what already exists into something that works.
Economic outcomes are the common language. Jobs created. Corridors revitalized. Investment mobilized. Tax base strengthened.
We leave with owners, not recommendations. Every pilot that emerges will have named leaders and defined next steps.
Who Should Be in the Room
This work requires bold, diverse perspectives—not for consensus, but for action. We need decision-makers and doers who can drive real change:
Economic development leaders who understand how creative districts can transform corridors and generate fiscal returns.
Private sector funders and investors looking for innovation opportunities and talent retention strategies.
Creative entrepreneurs and cultural leaders who know firsthand where the system breaks down—and where the opportunities are.
Educators and workforce development professionals connecting creative skills to employer demand.
Policymakers and agency heads who control resources, convening power, and regulatory frameworks.
The goal isn't consensus––it’s progress. We must identify the coordination failures that’s blocking us and design collaborative pilots that no single entity could accomplish alone.
What Success Looks Like
By the end of this workshop, we'll have:
A shared, non-ideological framing of the creative economy as economic infrastructure
Two-three actionable pilots that address specific coordination failures (investment access, visibility, cross-sector partnerships)
Named owners and co-owners for each pilot
90-day action plans with defined deliverables
A coalition operating agreement to prevent post-meeting stall
A clear bridge to policy and budget conversations ahead of the 2026 legislative session
The proof is clear: Maryland’s Arts & Entertainment Districts show that strategic coordination delivers results—each dollar invested yields $3.37 in economic activity. Coordinated support for creative enterprises means more jobs, more tax revenue, and vibrant communities. We’re building the framework to scale this impact in Prince George’s County.
