The one-pagers and reports featured below fall under the following topics:
- About the Field
- Arts & Business
- Arts & Community Building
- Arts & Education
- Arts & Economy
- Arts & Funding
- Arts & Healthcare
Recent Americans for the Arts Research Reports and One-Pagers of Facts and Figures
About Local Arts Agencies
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Local Arts Agency Salaries 2018
The Local Arts Agency Salaries 2018 research report is our most recent effort to benchmark the vast and varied compensation practices of the local arts agency field in America today. As with the previous iterations of this report (in 2001 and 2013), the findings from this updated 2018 salary survey will assist LAA executives and employees in evaluating staffing and salary levels, setting pay rates, determining incremental compensation adjustments, and better understanding the varied benefit options and structures currently at play in the field. These data will also provide context for LAAs as they evaluate and consider equitable policies, practices, and representation.
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Profile of Local Arts Agencies
In 2018, Americans for the Arts commenced the Profile of Local Arts Agencies, a new annual survey designed to illuminate the ever-adapting role of local arts agencies (LAAs). The Profile will track and examine trends in the programs, budgets, and operations of the LAA field. Each year, the survey includes a pair of supplemental modules that will take a deeper dive into specific topics—in 2018, the supplemental topics included (1) Grantmaking and Equitable Investment, and (2) LAA Salaries and Compensation..
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Local Arts Agency Dashboard
Just as no two communities are exactly alike, no two local arts agencies are quite the same. The Local Arts Agency Dashboard lets you compare your organization to another LAA or to a group of LAAs with similar characteristics. You can customize graphs based on characteristics like budget, service area population, legal status, or state.
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10 Reasons to Support the Arts - Updated March 2019
Packed with solid talking points, this is your go-to resource for the newest, freshest content for supporting the arts to any and all constituencies. And it’s a great reminder of why we do what we do! To view a version of this one-pager with links to other Americans for the Arts resources that might be helpful in your advocacy efforts, check out Randy's blog from February 2019 here.
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10 Reasons to Support the Arts Poster - Updated 2018
Packed with solid talking points, a graphic version of your go-to resource for the newest, freshest content for supporting the arts to any and all constituencies. And it’s a great reminder of why we do what we do!
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Interested in more? Check out these Monographs about the field available for download in our online store.
- Monograph - "Local Arts Agencies" (2012)
- Monograph - "Effective Community Arts Development: Fifty Years, Fifty Tips" (2010)
- Monograph - "A Time for Change: Results and Recommendations from the Americans for the Arts Environmental Scan" (2009)
Arts & Business
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Business Contributions to the Arts: 2018 Edition - Updated November 2018
Survey finding project national trends in support for the arts by large and small businesses across our nation. Read more about the survey and arts & business on the Partnership Movement website.
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United Arts Funds Statistical Report for Fiscal Year 2017 Fact Sheet - Updated November 2018
United Arts Funds (UAFs) are private organizations that raise money to broaden support for the arts, encourage attendance and participation, promote excellence in the arts and arts management, and ensure that arts organizations are financially stable. UAF campaigns are combined or federated appeals for arts funding conducted annually to raise unrestricted money on behalf of three or more arts, culture, and/or science organizations.
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Business Support to the Arts - Updated February 2017
With billions in arts funding, businesses play a key role in ensuring the health and vitality of the arts field. Find out why businesses support the arts, how they contribute, and how you can maximize your relationship with them to create meaningful, lasting partnerships.
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Private-Sector Philanthropy - February 2017
Read on for stats that demonstrate how private giving has changed over time—and how that change effects the arts, culture, and humanities fields.
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Interested in more? View the Tools & Resources provided by the Private Sector Network, including our Ready to Innovate report with the Conference Board, or check out these Monographs about the field available for download in our online store.
- Monograph - "How and Why Businesses Support the Arts" (2010)
- Monograph - "Private-Sector Giving to the Arts: Strategies for Survival, Guidelines for Growth" (2006)
Arts & Community Building
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Cultural Tourism (PDF, 303 KB) - Updated April 2015
As the world grows ever smaller, the importance of the tourism industry—especially cultural tourism—continues to grow. Find out how to capitalize on the potential for economic growth as well as visibility for the unique cultural elements that define your community.
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Interested in more? Check out our full reports about arts & community building:
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Monograph - "Cultural Development in Creative Communities" (2003)
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Monograph - "Cultural Development in Creative Communities" (2003)
- Reports from Americans for the Arts' Animating Democracy program:
Arts & Education
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Arts Education Research and Facts Summary (PDF, 765 KB) - Updated March 2014
Your one-stop-shop for anything and everything arts education!
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Advantages of Arts Learning Continue Over Time (PDF, 406 KB) - Updated April 2015
The arts are beneficial to all, but see how they can be deployed as potent tools for success for disadvantaged students.
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Arts Education: Preparing Students for the Workplace (PDF, 207 KB) - Updated April 2015
Did you know that both schools and employers rank a degree in the arts among the most significant indicators of a job candidate’s creativity and innovation skills?
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Improved Academic Performance for Students with High Levels of Arts Involvement (PDF, 367 KB) - Updated March 2014
As the debate about our education system rages on, the arts are quietly contributing to lower dropout rates and improved academic performance. Brush up on your knowledge of the impact of the arts on students and spread the word!
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Inequality in Access to Arts Education (PDF, 251 KB) - Updated April 2015
The arts, like many disciplines, continue to struggle with providing equal access across the racial and ethnic diversity of our nation. Read on for detailed data and to see how the arts are doing over time.
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Uneven Arts Education Opportunities Nationwide (PDF 310 KB) - Updated March 2014
How does arts education fare in our nation’s public schools? The answer—unevenly—is explored here, along with more specific information on the disciplines we provide—and what kinds of schools provide them at all.
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Reports on the Status of Arts Education, State by State (PDF, 573 KB)
Want to find out more about the state of arts education in your home state? Find a full roster of states and resources relating to each one, updated in 2013.
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SAT Scores and the Arts (PDF, 203 KB) - Updated February 2017
Aside from keeping a few extra sharpened number 2 pencils on hand, it turns out that one of the best ways to improve scores on the SAT is to provide four years of high school arts and music classes.
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Early Childhood Education and the Arts (PDF, 470 KB) - Updated March 2014
Studies emerging from around the world show clear benefits to cognitive development when young children are exposed to the arts.
- Interested in more? Check out these Monographs about the field available for download in our online store.
Arts & Economy
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Arts and Economic Prosperity 5
Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 is Americans for the Arts’ fifth study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry's impact on the economy. It documents the economic contributions of the arts in 341 diverse communities and regions across the country, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $166.3 billion of economic activity during 2015—$63.8 billion in spending by arts and cultural organizations and an additional $102.5 billion in event-related expenditures by their audiences. This activity supported 4.6 million jobs and generated $27.5 billion in revenue to local, state, and federal governments (a yield well beyond their collective $5 billion in arts allocations).
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National Arts Index - Updated March 2016
This annual report measures the health and vitality of the arts in the U.S. With 113,000 nonprofit arts organizations employing 2.2 million artists in the workforce, the arts are a strong force in our economy—click the link to see the powerful numbers!
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Economic Impact of the Nonprofit Arts Industry (PDF, 203 KB) - Updated March 2018
The arts have impact far beyond our well-being: they also make deep, sustainable contributions to the economic health and vitality of their communities, and the Americans for the Arts trademark Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 report shows you how!
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Arts and GDP - Updated February 2019According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, arts and cultural production contributed $764 billion to the nation’s economy in 2015. This represents 4.2 percent of the GDP—a larger share of the economy than transportation, tourism, or construction.
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Arts Trade Balance - Updated February 2019Arts and cultural goods and services trade surpluses reached $21 billion in 2015. The arts consistently outperform the overall U.S. Balance of Trade.
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Spending by Arts Audiences - Updated March 2018
Unlike most other industries, the arts leverage a significant amount of event-related spending by their audiences—spending that directly enters the community and generates a great deal of non-arts-related commerce. Read on to see what we found out from our Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 report.
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Artists in the U.S. Workforce: 2001-2016 - Updated February 2017
Read on to find out about the share of artists in the U.S. workforce, and how they stack up in terms of employment overall.
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Creative Industries: Business & Employment in the Arts - 2017
The Creative Industries reports utilize respected data from Dun & Bradstreet to measure for-profit as well as non-profit arts and culture industries, putting together a complete picture of how the arts fit in overall with all U.S. businesses and jobs.
- Interested in more? Check out these Monographs about the field available for downloadin our online store.
Arts & Funding
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Federal, State, and Local Government Support for the Arts, 1999–2019 - Updated February 2019
An important breakdown of the different levels of government support for the arts, this chart shows the fluctuations of these funding sources over time—and gives a sense of where we might go from here.
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NEA Appropriations History, 1966–2019 - Updated March 2019
The National Endowment for the Arts has a significant role in the funding landscape for the arts and culture field, as well as acting as a leader in creating a platform for the arts on the national stage. Amidst continued debt ceiling talks and funding concerns, find out how the NEA has fared over time.
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NEA Budget as Share of Federal Discretionary Spending - Updated February 2019
The National Endowment for the Arts has been losing ground in its share of federal discretionary spending and failing to keep pace with inflation. Get the visuals with two useful charts and more information on where the NEA would be if it had kept up with its share of discretionary spending and pace of inflation.
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Sources of Revenue for Nonprofit Arts Organizations - Updated February 2017
Click here for a user-friendly graphic that can help you explain—to funders, community leaders, elected officials, and even your own constituents—where the money actually comes from!
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Interested in more? Check out these Monographs about the field available for downlaod in our online store.
- Monograph - "United Arts Funds in Transition" (2009)
- Monograph - "The Quality and Nature of Corporate Support for the Arts - A Pilot Study" (2007)
- Animating Democracy's report - "Trend or Tipping Point: Arts & Social Change Grantmaking" (2010)
Arts & Healthcare
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Arts in Healthcare, State of the Field Report (PDF, 939 KB) - Updated March 2014
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Arts Programs in U.S. Hospitals (PDF, 375 KB)
The arts provide a powerful return on investment when used in healing environments. Not only do they calm anxiety and lessen pain, but they also reduce costs through shorter hospital stays and fewer repeat procedures. See how many healthcare institutions across America are tapping into this secret weapon!
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National Initiative for Arts & Health in the Military (PDF, 238 KB)
Learn more about one of the newest policy initiatives at Americans for the Arts, and how we are partnering with Walter Reed National Military Medical Facility to advance the arts in health, healing, and healthcare for military service members, veterans, their families, and caregivers. Download this one-pager (PDF, 238 KB) on the initiative or visit the program's web pages. -
Interested in more? Check out these Monographs about the field available for download in our online store.
- Monograph - "Creativity Matters: Arts and Aging in America" (2008)
- Monograph - "Cultures of Care: A Study of Arts Programs in U.S. Hospitals" (2004)
- Monograph - "Ten Characteristics of a Healthy Community: How the Arts Can Be Integrated" (2002)