The National Arts Statistics and Evidence-based Reporting Center (NASERC) Resources on Measuring the Arts
Domain A. Artists and Other Cultural Workers
Domain A provides a comprehensive description of artists and individuals whose employment involves supporting artists or the arts industry (the latter referred to as other cultural workers). Indicators in this domain explore artists and other cultural workers by demographic characteristics and background, the types of art they create, and their means of employment and income.
Artists and Other Cultural Workers Indicators
- A.1 Characteristics of Artists: Number of artists, categorized by occupation, demographic group, and other individual characteristics.
- A.2 Characteristics of Other Cultural Workers: Number of other cultural workers, categorized by occupation, demographic group, and other relevant individual characteristics.
- A.3 Geographic Distribution of Artists and Other Cultural Workers: Number of artists and other cultural workers, categorized by occupation and geographic location within the United States.
- A.7 Earnings of Artists and Other Cultural Workers: Earnings of artists and other cultural workers, along with an analysis of their household income.
- A.8 Labor Market Outcomes for Young Artists and Other Cultural Workers: Labor force status and earnings information for young artists and other cultural workers, along with an analysis of their household income.
Studies Used in Domain A Indicators:
Domain B. Arts Participation
Domain B describes participants in the arts, including the type of activities they pursue and their time use and spending habits. This domain includes indicators on people who attend arts events (consumption) and those who personally create or perform artworks.
Arts Participation Indicators
- B.1 Art Events Attendance in Person: Demographic characteristics of people attending or visiting events or venues in person. The focus is specifically on attendance at arts events and activities, contrasting with "creation," which is captured in Indicator B.3.
- B.3 Personal Creation or Performance of Art: Engagement in artistic and creative behavior, complementing the information provided in Indicator B.1.
- B.4 Time Spent by Americans Participating in Arts Activities: Percentage of people involved in arts activities and the amount of time they spend on these activities, including participation on a typical day and the number of minutes participating.
Studies Used in Domain B Indicators:
- American Time Use Survey (ATUS)
- Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA)
- Arts Basic Survey (ABS)
Domain C. Arts and Cultural Assets
Domain C multifaceted and describes the economic impact of the arts in the United States (i.e., inputs and outputs) as well as types of arts funding and infrastructure, and where arts and cultural assets are located.
Arts and Cultural Assets Indicators
- C.1 Contributions of the Arts to the U.S. Economy: Trends in value-added for arts and culture industries, as well as trends over time in the total value and percentage of Gross Domestic Product for the arts and cultural sector.
- C.2 Industries Employment of Artists and Other Cultural Workers: Major industries that employ artists and other cultural workers.
Studies Used in Domain C Indicators:
Domain D. Arts and Education
Domain D describes the extent to which students at elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education levels learn to create and appreciate art. The domain includes an indicator on the supply and demand of art teachers.
Arts and Education Indicators
- D.1 Majors in the Arts: Trends in the number of postsecondary degrees awarded in arts and cultural fields of study over time, broken down by degree level and key demographic characteristics of graduates.
- D.2 Teachers of the Arts in Schools: Number of art teachers in elementary and secondary education, as well as arts faculty in postsecondary institutions.