Arts Employment: 2 Studies Describe Economic Impact on Regions & Individuals

In June Americans for the Arts released the findings from their latest economic impact study, Arts & Economic Prosperity IV.  The study documents the role played by the nonprofit arts and culture industry in strengthening the U.S. economy. Data from 2010 are analyzed in the latest report, conducted every 5 years.

Of the 182 study regions nationwide that participated in the research, two are in the state of Indiana: the cities of Indianapolis and Bloomington.  Within the city of Indianapolis, the full-time equivalent (FTE) of jobs supported by nonprofit arts and culture organizations was 6,025. (This figure does not include jobs generated by spending of audiences attending arts events.)

In the city of Bloomington the FTE of jobs supported by nonprofit arts and culture organizations was 2,779 (again not including the impact of audiences). Learn more about Arts & Economic Prosperity IV.

Also released in June was A Diverse Palette: What Arts Graduates Say About Their Education and Careers. It reports data from the 2011 online survey conducted by the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP). The annual study looks at more than 36,000 arts alumni of 66 institutions in the U.S. and Canada. SNAAP is a project of Indiana University and Vanderbilt University.

Those interested in pursuing education towards an arts career can see what the "real life outlook" is for their field on the SNAAP website's interactive SNAAPShot pages. Details of the findings include the median income of arts graduates broken down by the type of arts occupation as well as the type of arts degree pursued.

Some of the report's interesting facts:
Individuals with degrees in the performing arts and design are the most likely of arts graduates ever to be employed as professional artists, with 82% of dance, theater and music performance majors, and 81% of design majors working as professional artists at some point. 57% of all arts alumni have at some point worked as teachers of the arts, and 27% do this currently.

Read more about A Diverse Palette.