LARGEST NATIONAL SURVEY OF ARTISTS FINDS SURPRISING CONTRADICTION: THOUGH SUFFERING FROM REDUCED INCOME AND SALES, THREE-QUARTERS SAY IT’S AN INSPIRING TIME TO BE AN ARTIST IN AMERICA

 

 For immediate release

New York, NY – Despite the recession and its severe economic toll, artists across the country are overwhelmingly upbeat. While most have a second job just to get by (and one in five has a third job), a significant majority of artists believe “it is an inspiring time to be an artist in America.”

 Despite intensified hardship, relatively low income levels, rising debt and growing worries about health insurance, 75% of those surveyed believe this is an inspiring time to be an artist.   In addition:

•  89% think artists have a special role in strengthening communities in these times;
• 40% report they are able to devote more time to their work;
• 33% have seized the opportunity to increase their experimentation and collaboration; and
• 10% have found cheaper work spaces, an unexpected benefit of declining property values.

 These are among the findings of the largest and most comprehensive survey of artists ever conducted in the U.S.  The survey reached artists working in the visual, performing and literary arts and other fields.  More than 5300 artists participated in Artists and the Economic Recession Survey, commissioned by Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC) in collaboration with Helicon Collaborative and Princeton Survey Research Associates International.   The survey was conducted in the summer of 2009, and the sample closely approximates the demographic characteristics of the national population of artists, allowing generalizations about the findings by age, race/ethnicity, arts discipline, educational level and other characteristics.

 The survey was undertaken to provide reliable information about this diverse population of creative individuals. Most prior analyses have been based on Census counts, which are quickly dated and overly broad in their categorization of artists’ sub-groups. The LINC survey sought to understand artists’ financial circumstances, their strategies for adapting to the current economy, and their outstanding concerns.

 “Artists are known for their ability to innovate and improvise. They have made a risky career choice to begin with, and most have learned to cope with economic stress as a matter of course.  Artists find ways to be creative, flexible and productive under duress, and some of their strategies may serve others in this climate” said Judilee Reed, Executive Director of Leveraging Investments in Creativity.

 Artists typically have low incomes, most earning less than $40,000 from all sources, according to the survey.

 Chief among the artists’ current worries are:

• Loss of income (77%)
• Fewer sales (70%)
• Finding future project funding (67%)
• Rising debt (61%)

Health care is especially challenging for many artists, who do not have the prospect of most other professionals for long-term employment that comes with health care and other benefits. Even those artists who are covered are worried:  61% of artists report they have adequate insurance, but 50% are concerned about losing it.

LINC is working with the Actors Fund and other partners to address artists’ health insurance issues.  The Actors Fund’s AHIRC provides information about health insurance options designed to meet the explicit needs of artists in all disciplines and in all states, and provides resources, tools and information about health care policy issues. LINC also works with diverse partners, including urban planners and municipalities, to increase live/work opportunities for artists. The survey confirmed that this is another priority issue for artists.

 “Addressing the needs of artists is important because art, in its thousand daily manifestations, matters to the health of communities,” Ms Reed said.  “We demand and value excellence in design, graphics, performance and other arts.  If we value art, we also need to value the artist.  How do we tell the dancer from the dance, the painter from the painting?  That dancer, painter, poet, actor and other artist whose work products you value need health insurance, places to live, and opportunities to work as much as anyone,” she said. “We have more than 2.5 million artists in this country, most of them contributing dynamically to our creative economy without the benefits of regular employment or standard benefits.  If we want access to the ideas, products and services of artists in the future, we need to address their needs today.”  

About LINC

Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC) is a 10-year initiative to improve artists’ ability to make work, build social capital and contribute to democratic values.