New Research
Research by Geography
Neighborhood/City of Boston
Metro Boston/Massachusetts/New England
National
New Research
National Endowment for the Arts, Artists in the Workforce: 1990-2005 (06/2008): Using US Census Bureau data, this report provides detailed information on trends for working artists, with data available at a variety of geographic levels including metros, states, regions and the US as a whole.
Americans for the Arts, Creative Industries Reports (03/2008): This series of reports provides data on the size of the creative economy, both in terms of the number of arts establishments and arts employees, and is available by states, congressional districts, as well as America's largest cities.
The Boston Foundation, Vital Signs: Metro Boston's Arts & Cultrual Nonprofits, 1999 & 2004 (11/2007): This Understanding Boston report draws upon fresh data to examine the status and wellbeing of the Arts and Cultural Sector in Greater Boston. At a time when significant economic and demographic changes have had an impact on organizations of all kinds, this report by the Boston Foundation uses consistent metrics to evaluate the health of the sector and identify challenges and opportunities that exist for organizations of all sizes. Download the IRS data used for this study here.
New England Foundation for the Arts, The Creative Economy: A New Definition (11/2007): Creates a definition of the creative economy in order to provide a framework for measuring the size and make-up of the creative economy, both in terms of non-profit and commercial enterprises.
Americans for the Arts, Arts & Economic Prosperity III: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Culture Organizations and their Audiences (05/2007): Examines the financial return of cultural organizations in 156 American communities (including Pittsfield, MA). Nationally, there has been a 24% increase in economic activity tied to the arts in the last 5 years.
Neighborhood/City of Boston
Boston After School & Beyond, State of the Arts: 2006 Arts & Culture Out-of-School Time Providers Survey (12/2006): Provides preliminary findings of survey, and finds that there are under-served neighborhoods, including West Roxbury, Roslindale, and Mattapan.
Boston Redevelopment Authority, Boston's Creative Economy (06/2006): Assesses and the size and importance of Boston's creative industries, which add $10.7 billion to Boston's economic output.
Metro Boston/Massachusetts/New England
The Boston Foundation, Vital Signs: Metro Boston's Arts & Cultrual Nonprofits, 1999 & 2004 (11/2007): This Understanding Boston report draws upon fresh data to examine the status and wellbeing of the Arts and Cultural Sector in Greater Boston. At a time when significant economic and demographic changes have had an impact on organizations of all kinds, this report by the Boston Foundation uses consistent metrics to evaluate the health of the sector and identify challenges and opportunities that exist for organizations of all sizes.
New England Foundation for the Arts, The Creative Economy: A New Definition (11/2007): Creates a definition of the creative economy in order to provide a framework for measuring the size and make-up of the creative economy, both in terms of non-profit and commercial enterprises.
The Urban Institute, Cultural Vitality in Communities: Interpretation and Indicators (12/2006): This report provides a framework for localities to use indicators to study local cultural vitality. Comparative metropolitan data is provided and The Boston Indicators Project is highlighted.
Americans for the Arts (11/2006): Using their Arts Policy Information Center, you can find out the number of arts related businesses and their employee numbers in your state legislative district.
New England Foundation for the Arts, New England's Creative Economy: The State of the Cultural Sector--2005 Update (pdf) (08/2006): Employing a new methodology created in cooperation with the National Center for Charitable Statistics, this study reports that cultural organization assets grew 12.1% from 2000 to 2002, and spending increased 9.6%.
Alliance for Independent Motion Media, Lens on the Bay State: Motion Picture Production in Massachusetts (05/2006): Reports on recent employment declines in the Massachusetts motion picture industry, mirroring trends found in other states except California.
The New England Foundation for the Arts, Documenting the Arts: A Practical Handbook for Cultural Organizations (5/2005): practical guidance for cultural organizations on developing written and audiovisual documentation of their work.
National
National Endowment for the Arts, Artists in the Workforce: 1990-2005 (06/2008): Using US Census Bureau data, this report provides detailed information on trends for working artists, with data available at a variety of geographic levels including metros, states, regions and the US as a whole.
Americans for the Arts, Creative Industries Reports (03/2008): This series of reports provides data on the size of the creative economy, both in terms of the number of arts establishments and arts employees, and is available by states, congressional districts, as well as America's largest cities.
Americans for the Arts, Arts & Economic Prosperity III: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Culture Organizations and their Audiences (05/2007): Examines the financial return of cultural organizations in 156 American communities (including Pittsfield, MA). Nationally, there has been a 24% increase in economic activity tied to the arts in the last 5 years.
The Urban Institute, Cultural Vitality in Communities: Interpretation and Indicators (12/2006): This report provides a framework for localities to use indicators to study local cultural vitality. Comparative metropolitan data is provided and The Boston Indicators Project is highlighted.
National Endowment for the Arts, The Arts of Civic Engagement: Involved in Arts, Involved in Life (pdf) (11/2006): This national study reports that literary readers and arts participants are twice as likely as others to participate in volunteer charity work, and the number of youth interested in the arts is on the decline.
Richard Florida, Gary Gates, Brian Knudsen, and Kevin Stolarick, The University and the Creative Economy (pdf) (08/2006): Building on the Creative Economy Index, this study identifies universities as a key ingredient to the three "T's" of a creative economy--Technology, Talent and Tolerance. With its large university sector, Boston ranks high overall, but failed to crack the top 25 in the Brain Drain/Gain Index.
Rand Research in the Arts, Gifts of the Muse: Reframing the Debate about the Benefits of the Arts (pdf) (06/2005): This thorough analysis of research on the arts experience concludes that there are both instrumental and intrinsic benefits to participation in the arts, and that early exposure to the arts (pre-teen) is key to the development of demand for the arts later in life.
Click for past Cultural Life & the Arts research.