Americans for the Arts released their second edition of the National Arts Index yesterday (here’s a useful overview from the L.A. Times), crunching numbers from a wide range of sources to define the health and vitality of the arts in the United States. As one would imagine from the economic pit our entire economy was in during 2009, the arts didn’t do very well. According to the indicators gathered for the index, the ‘health and vitality’ for the arts hit a 12-year low.
There are lots of obvious reasons for the decline, including the shifting focus of philanthropic giving toward other essential goals, attendance declines in many venues (although total spending remained steady), and resulting deficits and capacity challenges for arts organizations.
But equally interesting were the numbers that were rising against the tide:
- The percentage of college-bound seniors with four years of arts or music has grown, despite wide complaints of the loss of public arts education.
- College arts degrees conferred have continued to rise (partly because of an increase in design degrees, and the growth of double majors that include the arts).
- The number of Americans who personally participated in an artistic activity (making art themselves) is also on the rise, up five percent between 2005 and 2009.
- The number of nonprofit arts organizations and arts businesses also rose, despite the poor economy. According to the study, between 2003 and 2009, a new nonprofit arts organization was created every three hours in the U.S.
While it claims to gauge the health and vitality of the arts, the National Arts Index really measures the health and vitality of the arts delivery system. There are many indications in this year’s index that the system is deeply challenged. But there are also indicators that ”the arts” are more vital than ever.
To quote Ben Cameron, “Today everyone is a potential author–and while the market for traditional arts audiences may be eroding, the market for arts participants–those citizens who dance or write poetry, who paint or sing, who make their own films is exploding as indeed the arts market paradigm shifts from consumption to broader participation in which attendance is only one option.” I am not certain an “index” is the best tool for offering a clear understanding of this paradigm shift.