WASHINGTON.- Cultural industries are economic powerhouses and states have the data to prove it, according to a new analysis from the National Endowment for the Arts. Drawing on data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Arts and the GDP: Value Added by Selected Cultural Industries is a new NEA research note that examines the value added by three selected cultural industries: (1) performing arts, sports, and museums; (2) motion pictures and sound recording; and (3) publishing (including software). Combined, these three cultural industries contributed a total of $278.4 billion to the U.S. economy in 2009. The NEA research note also looks at dollars and jobs added to individual state economies by these cultural industries. Each year, the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates the value added by major industry groups, including performing arts, sports, and museums. “Value added” refers