Bathurst's reputation as an Evocity brimming with cultural facilities delivers a 69 per cent return on the investment council has in them.

It's big business in anyone's terms and Bathurst is no exception.

All was revealed yesterday when the official report on the economic impact of the cultural facilites of the Evocities of NSW which was launched by Minister for Local Government Paul Toole at the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum in Howick Street.

It found that across the seven Evocities of Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, Armidale, Tamworth, Albury and Wagga Wagga there are 26 cultural facilities funded by local government, including museums, gallereis and performing arts centres.

Their operations generate $61.8 million in goods and services, contribute $32.35 million to the gross regional product and $15.4 million to household incomes.

Better still, on average 8.5 full time jobs are created in the local economies for every 10 full time positions within the cultural facilities. 

Volunteers also play a crucial role, providing almost 25,000 working hours valued at more than $500,00 in the 2012-13 financial year.

Museums and Galleries NSW general manager of finance and administration Michael Huxley made the trip to Bathurst yesterday to comment on the report, much to the delight of guests including mayor Gary Rush, Mr Toole, Western Research Institute CEO Danielle Ranshaw and Wagga Wagga mayor Rod Kendall.

He said the study including all seven of the Evocities was a valuable benchmark, building on the findings of a similar 2009 study for Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange.

"In 2012-13 local, state and federal governments invested just over $19 million into the operations of the 26 facilities - with local government carrying the lion's share at $16.5 million," Mr Huxley said.

"Using their contribution to gross regional product, as a proxy for their economic impact and using the flow on effects through the economies, there is a return of 69 per cent, or for every one dollar invested $1.69 is returned to the economies."

Mr Toole said yesterday the 26 cultural facilities examined employed 158 full time staff.

"This research confirms the great value provided by local government through the provision of museums, galleries and performing arts centres," he said.

"Not only do they help mould and shape community identity by supporting local arts workers and providing access for regional audiences, they also contribute positively to the local and regional economies."

Mayor Gary Rush noted the local facilities included the Memorial Entertainment centre, art gallery, Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum, the National Motor Racing Hall of Fame at Mount Panorama and Chifley Cottage.

He said the fossil and mineral museum had about 23,000 visitors in the 2013-14 financial year and that by year's end around 250,000 visitors in the past decade.