Theresa Cameron

Getting the Pulse: Our Local Arts Agency Listening Post

Posted by Theresa Cameron, Apr 19, 2011 0 comments


Theresa Cameron

With the local arts community facing many challenges, American for the Arts wanted to develop a current picture of trends at the local level.

So we developed the Local Arts Funding Listening Post: A Survey of Local Arts Agencies.

In late March, Americans for the Arts' Research Department distributed a very short survey in order to take the pulse of our field.

Here are the questions we asked:

Over the next 12 months, I expect that paid attendance to cultural events that take place in my community will...
•    Increase
•    Stay the same
•    Decrease  

Over the next 12 months, I expect the staffing level  of your organization will...
•    Increase
•    Stay the same
•    Decrease

Which one choice below best describes your level of concern about the financial health of your organization during the next 12 months?
•    Optimistic -- we are in solid shape
•    Not too worried -- we will weather the storm
•    I'm concerned -- we need to dig deep
•    Pessimistic -- this is going to be a huge challenge

During the next 12 months, do you anticipate that any of the following will happen in your community...?
•    A core arts organization will cease operations due to lack of funding
•    Local government will consider total de-funding of the arts
•    Arts organizations will merge with one another
•    A new initiative will be launched to increase the public's level of personal creation and involvement in the arts
•    The arts community will come together to address changing trends in arts attendance and consumption
•    The level of collaboration will increase between arts organizations and other community groups/agencies

Over 500 Local Arts Agencies responded to the survey.

Here are a few highlights:

•    44% of LAAs said that local government arts funding will stay the same, while 49% said it will decrease.

•    51% of LAAs said that in the previous 12 months local government arts funding decreased while 43% said it stayed the same.

•    59% of LAAs said that over the next 12 months paid attendance will stay the same.

•    74% of LAAs said that staffing levels will remain the same.

•    Only 13% of LAAs said they were optimistic about the financial health of their organization while 36% said they were concerned and will need to dig deep.

To view the complete survey results, visit our website.

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