Employment and unemployment of artists, 1970-1975

Research Division Report #1

Employment and

Unemployment vs>

of Artists: 1970-1975

National Endowment
for the Arts

I
I

Employment and

Unemployment

of Artists: 1970-1975

CONTENTS

Tables and Figures
Introduction

Summary of Employment

and Unemployment Changes from 1974 to 197 5

How Many Artists

Appendix I - Data Reliability and the Standard

Error 21

Appendix II - Employment and Unemployment Trends.. 22
Appendix III - Need for Additional Employment...... 23

TABLES AND FIGURES

Table 1 comparison of Unemployment for Selected
Occupations with all Professional, Tech-
nical and Kindred Workers: 1974 and 1975 7

Table 2 Comparison of Unemployment for Writers,
Artists and Entertainers with all Pro-
fessional, Technical and Kindred Workers:
1970 - 1975 8

Table 3 Total Writers, Artists and Entertainers,
Growth of Labor Force and Unemployment:
1970 - 1975 10

Table 4 Total Labor Force and Unemployment for

Selected Artistic Occupations and Sex: 1970... 15

Table 5 Total Labor Force and Unemployment for

Selected Artistic Occupations and Sex: 1971... 16

Table 6 Total Labor Force and Unemployment for

Selected Artistic Occupations and Sex: 1972... 17

Table 7 Total Labor Force and Unemployment for

Selected Artistic Occupations and Sex: 1973... 18

Table 8 Total Labor Force and Unemployment for

Selected Artistic Occupations and Sex: 1974... 19

Table 9 Total Labor Force and Unemployment for

Selected Artistic Occupations and Sex: 1975... 20

Table 10 Class of Worker of Employed Persons by

Detailed Occupation and Sex: 1970 25

Table 11 Self -employment as a Percent of Selected

Artistic Occupations Labor Force: 1970 26

Table 12 Employed, Experienced Unemployed, Not in
Labor Force, But Worked 1960 to 1970, by
Detailed Occupation and Sex: 1970 28

Table 13 Persons Not in Labor Force But Last Worked
in Artistic Occupations 1960 to 1970, as a
Percent of Selected Artistic Occupation
Labor Force: 1970 29

Figure 1 Total Writers, Artists and Entertainers Labor

Force, Employed and Unemployed, 1970 - 1975... 11

Figure 2 Diagram of Possible Shifts in Labor Force

Status Within the Artistic Occupations 27

-3-

Introduction

The employment of persons in artistic occupations and the
complementary number of unemployed in artistic occupa-
tions are the subjects of this report. Information about
unemployment is always more urgent since it is a measure
of a serious deficiency. However, the two subjects cannot
be isolated from each other since they are based on the

same data. The relationship has been described as that

1/
of the doughnut and the hole.

Compilation of data on the unemployment and employment of
artists on a base comparable with the data for the total
U. S. population is possible because of the work of the
Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The data used in this report for 1970 is from the 1970
Census of Population. The data for subsequent years is
from annualized monthly averages from the monthly Current
Population Studies conducted for the Bureau of Labor
Statistics by the Bureau of the census. The Bureau of

1/ Shiskin, Julius, Commissioner of Labor Statistics,

"Employment and Unemployment: The Doughnut or the Hole?'
Monthly Labor Review, February 1976, p. 3.

-4-

Labor Statistics has released to the National Endowment
for the Arts detailed data on artistic occupations for
1971 - 197 5 that has not been made available through its
regular publications.

The style adopted for this report uses tables to present
the main body of information about employment and unemploy-
ment. Tables 1-3, and Figure 1, are a summary data
presentation in simple form. The following Tables 4-9
are very detailed and provide data that should be help-
ful to readers interested in the statistical basis for
the percent unemployment that is reported. The text is
a brief summary of highlights from the tables. Three
Appendices with several tables and a figure complete
the report. This final material is very technical and
is intended for persons who are specially concerned
about the reliability of the data and its use for trend
projection as well as needs for additional research.

In reading the report, the differences in the data source
for 1970 and 1971 - 1975 should be remembered. The statis-
tical reliability of the data for the latter years is much
less because of the differences in sample size. "Standard
Errors" are shown in Tables 3-9. The use of this measure
for data reliability is discussed in the appendices.

-5-

Summary of Employment

and Unemployment changes From 1974 to 197 5

The most striking observation from the examination of
employment and unemployment data for the artistic occupa-
tions is the increase in the total work force that has
occurred in recent years. In 197 5, the employment of
artists continued to increase and the total experienced
Writers, Artists, and Entertainers labor force grew at a
rate of 5.5%. Changes in unemployment followed the general
trend of the U. S. population and was substantially greater
in 197 5 than in 1974. Table 1 summarizes the percent unem-
ployment for selected artistic occupations in 1974 and 197 5.
The percent unemployment increased for most of the selected
occupations and was substantially greater than for all Pro-
fessional, Technical, and Kindred Workers. The increase
or decrease in the percent unemployment for these two years
should be interpreted carefully in the light of the Standard
Errors shown in Tables 8 and 9 and Appendix II on Employ-
ment and Unemployment Trends. Table 2 compares percent
unemployment for Writers, Artists, and Entertainers with
that of all Professional, Technical, and Kindred Workers
for the period 1970 - 1975.

-6-

TABLE 1

COMPARISON OF UNEMPLOYMENT FOR SELECTED
OCCUPATIONS WITH ALL PROFESSIONAL,
TECHNICAL AND KINDRED WORKERS: 1974 and 1975

All Professional, Tech-
nical & Kindred Workers

1974

2.3%

1975

3.2%

Change — '

+ .9%

Architects

2.7%

5 . 4%

+2.7%

Actors

47 . 4%

35.0%

-12.4%

Authors

2.1%

4.3%

+2.2%

Dancers

Designers

Musicians & Composers

Painters & Sculptors

Photographers

2.3%

7 . 4%

+5.1%

4.1%

7 . 9%

+3.8%

3.2%

5 . 8%

+2.6%

3.8%

6.2%

+2.4%

Data base is too small to provide a meaningful estimate
1/ See Appendix II and Standard Errors in Tables 8 and 9.

Source: See Tables 8 and 9 for data source.

-7-

TABLE 2

COMPARISON OF UNEMPLOYMENT FOR WRITERS,
ARTISTS AND ENTERTAINERS WITH ALL PROFESSIONAL,
TECHNICAL AND KINDRED WORKERS: 1970 - 1975

% Unemployment

Writers, Artists

& Entertainers

% Unemployment
All Professional,

Technical and
Kindred Workers

1/

1970 ~

4.6%

1.8%

2/

1971 -'

7.1%

2.9%

2/

1972 ~

5.6%

2.4%

1973 -

4.8%

2.2%

1974 ~

4.8%

2.3%

1975 -

7.4%

3.2%

1/ Table 51, U
Population:

. S. Bureau of
1970 Subject

the Census , Census of
Reports , Final Report

PC(2)-7A, Occupational Characteristics.

2/ Unpublished data furnished by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics.

-8-

How Many Artists?

In the 1970 Census, the total of Writers, Artists, and
Entertainers in the labor force was 797,574 persons. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 1975 is 1,055,000
persons in the same group. The increase reflects a com-
pounded annual growth rate for the 5 year period of 5.7%.
At this rate of growth, the labor force of artists would
double in a period of about 12.5 years. Data on the
growth of the artistic occupations labor force for the
1970 - 1975 period is presented in Table 3. Figure 1
illustrates graphically the rise in this labor force
during the period and the changes in the subgroups of
the unemployed and employed.

Unemployment of Artists

For 197 5, the percent unemployment of all Professional,
Technical, and Kindred Workers is 3.2%. This compares
with 7.4% for the Writers, Artists, and Entertainers
occupational group. Among the selected artistic occupa-
tions in 197 5, the following unemployment rates are
reported:

Architects — 5.4%, Actors — 35.0%, Authors — 4.3%,
Designers — 7.4%, Musicians and Composers — 7.9%,
Dancers — (inadequate data), Painters and Sculp-
tors — 5.8%, and Photographers — 6.2%.

-9-

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-10-

FIGURE 1

TOTAL WRITERS, ARTISTS AND ENTERTAINERS LABOR
FORCE, EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED: 1970 - 1975

1,050,000-

1,000,000-

950,000-

900,000-

850,000-

800,000-

Total Writers,

Artists &
Entertainers
Labor Force

Employed

Writers, Artists

& Entertainers

100,000-

50,000-

0

— I —

1970

Unemployed

Writers, Artists

& Entertainers

1 —

1971

— I

1972

1 —

1973

— I

1974

' — I —

1975

Source : Table 3

-11-

Unemployment of Writers, Artists, and Entertainers as a
broad occupational group was 4.6% in 1970. In the five
years since 1970, the percent of unemployment of Writers,
Artists, and Entertainers fluctuated annually and roughly
followed the trend in unemployment of all Professional,
Technical, and Kindred Workers but at a rate 2 to 2^
times greater.

Tables 4-9 present a detailed analysis of the total
experienced labor force for selected artistic occupa-
tions, the number and percent unemployed, and Standard
Errors of the percent unemployed statistics. This data
is provided for Architects, Actors, Authors, Dancers,
Designers, Musicians and Composers, Painters and Sculptors,
and Photographers, for both sexes combined and separately.
Similar statistics are provided in these tables for the
larger group of all Professional, Technical, and Kindred
Workers for comparison. Separate tables are provided for
each year from 1970 to 1975.

As a result of the difference in the basis for the 1970
Census and the annualized averages from the Current
Population Studies data for the subsequent years, stan-
dard Errors of percent unemployment are fairly large
for some of the occupations in 1971 - 1975. Users of

-12-

this report are cautioned against plotting an unemploy-
ment trend line with the data for individual artistic
occupations reported in Tables 4-9 before considering
the information in Appendix II, Employment and Unemploy-
ment trends.

A very significant observation from the examination of
the tables for the six years is the very great difference
in unemployment in the artistic occupations. Unemployment
is most severe among Actors ranging from a high percentage
of 47.4% recorded in both 1971 and 1974 to a low of 3 3.4%
recorded in 1970. The percent unemployment of Actors in
1975 is 35%, close to the low of 33.4% in 1970, and con-
trasts with unemployment among the other artistic occupa-
tions as the only one in which there was a decrease in 197 5
As the Standard Errors of percent unemployment of Actors
are fairly high, caution should be taken in making trend
comparisons.

Dancers are .second in percent unemployment ranging from a
low of 14.5% in 1970 to a high of 30% in 1971. The data
on unemployment of Dancers is considered unreliable except
for the Census Year 1970 and comparisons with other occupa-
tions should be limited to that year. This is because of

-13-

the relatively small number of Dancers and the difficulty
of obtaining satisfactory data for this occupational group
in the sample used for the monthly Current Population
Studies .

In contrast to Actors and Dancers, the other selected
artistic occupations in Tables 4-9 are represented by
a sufficiently large number of persons in the labor force
so that the data on percent unemployment is more useful.

-14-

TABLE 4

TOTAL LABOR FORCE AND UNEMPLOYMENT FOR
SELECTED ARTISTIC OCCUPATIONS AND SEX: 1970

Total
Experienced
Labor Force
(thousands)

Number
Unemployed
(thousands)

% Unem-
ployment

Standard

Error
% Unem-
ployment

All Professional, Tech-
nical & Kindred Workers 11,667.0
Male 6,992.3
Female 4,674.7

215.1

116.4

98.7

1.8%
1 . 7%
2 . 1%

.1%
.1%
.1%

Architects 57.1
Male 54.9
Female 2 . 1

0.8
.7

.04

1.4%
1.3%
2.0%

.4%

.4%

1.7%

Actors 14.1
Male 8.2
Female 5 . 9

4.7
2.6
2.1

33.4%
32.2%
35.0%

2 . 2%
2 . 9%
3.4%

Authors 26.0
Male 18.1
Female 7 . 9

1.1
.7

.4

4.1%
4.1%
4 . 1%

.6%

.8%

1 . 2%

Dancers 6.9
Male 1 . 3
Female 5 . 7

1.0
.3
.8

14.5%
20.9%
13.3%

2.2%
5 . 5%
2.3%

Designers 112.3
Male 85.2
Female 27.1

3.5

2.0
1.5

3 . 1%
2 . 4%
5 . 5%

.2%
.3%
.7%

Musicians & Composers 96.5
Male 63.7
Female 32.9

6.5
5.1
1.4

6.7%
8.0%
4.1%

.3%
.7%
.7%

Painters & Sculptors 107.5
Male 67.9
Female 39.6

4.1
2.0
2.1

3.8%
2.9%
5 . 3%

.2%
.3%
.6%

Photographers 66.0
Male 56.5
Female 9.4

2.0

1.4

.6

3.0%
2 . 4%
6.7%

.3%

.4%

1.1%

Source: Table 51, U.S. Bureau of
1970 Subject Reports, Final Report

the Census ,
PC(2)-7A,

Census of Population
Occupational Charac-

teristics .

-15-

TABLE 5

TOTAL LABOR FORCE AND UNEMPLOYMENT FOR
SELECTED ARTISTIC OCCUPATIONS AND SEX: 1971

Total
Experienced
Labor Force
(thousands)

Number
Unemployed
(thousands)

% Unem-
ployment

Standard

Error
% Unem-
ployment

All Professional, Tech-
nical & Kindred Workers 11
Male 6
Female 4

,416
,933
,483

331
188
143

2.9%
2 . 7%
3.2%

.1%
.1%
.1%

Architects
Male
Female

70

67

3

1
1
0

1.4%

1.5%
*

.8%
.8%

Actors

Male
Female

19

11

8

9
4
5

47.4%

36.4%

*

7.7%
9 . 1%

Authors

Male
Female

33
21
12

2

1

1

6.1%
4.8%
8.3%

2.5%
2.8%
4.6%

Dancers

Male
Female

10
1
9

3
1
2

30.0%
*

*

8.7%

Designers
Male
Female

106
78
28

7
4
3

6.6%

5.1%

10.7%

1.4%
1.4%
3.5%

Musicians & Composers
Male
Female

126
82
45

10
8
2

7.9%
9.8%
4.4%

1.5%
1.9%
K 9%

Painters & Sculptors
Male
Female

130
82
48

5
2
3

3.8%
2.4%
6.3%

1.0%
1.0%
2.0%

Pho toqr aphe r s
Male
Female

81
67
13

4
2

1

4.9%
3.0%
7 . 7%

1.3%
1.2%
4.5%

* Data base is too small to provide a meaningful estimate.

Source: Unpublished data furnished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

-16-

TABLE 6

TOTAL LABOR FORCE AND UNEMPLOYMENT FOR
SELECTED ARTISTIC OCCUPATIONS AND SEX: 1972

Total
Experienced
Labor Force
(thousands)

All Professional, Tech-

nical & Kindred Workers 11,741

Number
Unemployed
(thousands)

282

% Unem-
ployment

2 . 4%

Standard

Error
% Unem-
ployment

.1%

Male
Female

7,110
4,631

153
129

2 . 2%

2.8%

.1%
.1%

Architects
Male
Female

68

66

2

2
2

0

2 . 9%
3 . 0%

1 . 1%
1 . 2%

Actors

Male
Female

18

13

5

8
5
3

44.4%
38.5%

8 . 1%
8.7%

Authors

Male
Female

31
18
13

1
1
0

3 . 2%

5.6%
*

1.9%
3.4%

Dancers

6

1
5

1
0

1

•

Male
Female

*
*

—

Designers
Male
Female

113
91
21

3
2

1

2 . 7%
2.2%
4.8%

.9%

.9%

2 . 9%

Musicians & Composers
Male
Female

130
92
39

9
8

1

6 . 9%
8.7%
2.6%

1.3%
1 . 8%
1 . 4%

Painters & Sculptors
Male
Female

137
78
60

8
4
4

5 . 8%
5 . 1%
6 . 7%

1.3%
1.4%
1 . 9%

Photographers
Male
Female

80
67
13

3
2

1

3 . 8%
3.0%
7 . 7%

1.2%
1.2%
4.5%

* Data base is too small to provide a meaningful, estimate.

Source: Unpublished data furnished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

-17-

TABLE 7

TOTAL LABOR FORCE AND UNEMPLOYMENT FOR
SELECTED ARTISTIC OCCUPATIONS AND SEX: 1973

Total
Experienced
Labor Force
(thousands)

All Professional, Tech-
nical & Kindred Workers 12 , 037

Male

Female

Architects

Male
Female

Actors

Male
Female

Authors

Male
Female

Dancers

Male
Female

Designers
Male
Female

Musicians &

Composers

Male
Female

Painters & Sculptors

Male
Female

Photographers

Male
Female

7,186
4,852

74
72
2

ii

7
8

39

18
20

10

3
7

125
98
27

129
88
41

141

80
60

76
63
13

Number
Unemployed
(thousands)

260
120
141

1
1
0

7

3

4

1

0

0

2

1
1

2

1
1

9
6
3

5

3
2

1
1
0

% Unem-
ployment

2.2%
1.7%
2.9%

1.4%

1.

.4%

1

k

43,

.8%

i

«r

i

k

2,

.6%

*

•

20,

.0%

*

•

1.

.6%

1,

.0%

3,

.7%

7.

.0%

6.

.8%

7,

.3%

3.

.5%

3.

.8%

3.

.3%

1.

.3%

Standard

Error
% Unem-
ployment

.1%

.1%
.1%

8%

.8%

8.3%

1.5%

7.5%

.7%

»

.6%

2,

.1%

1,

.3%

1.

.6%

2.

. 2%:

•

,9%

1.

.2%

1.

.3%

«

.7%

1 . 6%

.9%

* Data base is too small to provide a meaningful estimate.

Source: Unpublished data furnished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

-18-

TABLE 8

TOTAL LABOR FORCE AND UNEMPLOYMENT FOR
SELECTED ARTISTIC OCCUPATIONS AND SEX: 1974

Total
Experienced
Labor Force
(thousands)

Number
Unemployed
(thousands)

% Unem-
ployment

Standard

Error
% Unem-
ployment

All Professional, Tech-
nical & Kindred Workers 12,
Male 7 ,
Female 5 ,

,623
,482
,142

285
136
150

2 . 3%
1.8%
2 . 9%

.1%
.1%
.1%

Architects
Male
Female

73

71

2

2
2

0

2 . 7%

2 . 8%
*

1 . 0%
1.1%

Actors

Male
Female

19

11

8

9
5

4

47.4%

45.4%
*

7.2%
9.7%

Authors

Male
Female

47
27
21

1
1
1

2.1%
3.7%
4.8%

1.2%
2 . 1%
2 . 8%

Dancers

7

1
5

2

0

1

*

__

Male
Female

•
*

— "

Desiqners
Male
Female

132
99
33

3

1
2

2.3%
1 . 0%
6 . 1%

.8%

.6%

2.5%

Musicians & Compo;
Male
Female

sers

146

102

44

6
4

1

4.1%
3.9%
2.3%

1.0%
1.1%
1 . 3%

Painters & Sculpt<
Male
Female

Drs

154
89
65

5
2
3

3.2%
2 . 2%
4.6%

.9%

.9%

1 . 5%

Photoqraphers
Male
Female

79
67
13

3

1
1

3.8%
1.5%
7.7%

1 . 2%

.9%
4.5%

* Data base is too small to provide a meaningful estimate.

Source: Unpublished data furnished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

-19-

TABLE 9

TOTAL LABOR FORCE AND UNEMPLOYMENT FOR
SELECTED ARTISTIC OCCUPATIONS AND SEX: 1975

Total
Experienced
Labor Force
( thous ands )

All Professional, Tech-
nical & Kindred Workers

Male

Female

Architects
Male
Female

Actors

Male
Female

Authors

Male
Female

Dancers

Male
Female

Designers
Male
Female

Musicians & Composers
Male
Female

Painters & Sculptors
Male
Female

Photographers
Male
Female

13,173
7,700
5,474

74

71
3

20

13

7

47

26
20

8
3

5

135

103

34

151

104

47

155
84
72

81

67
14

Number
Unemployed
(thousands)

425
219
207

4
4

0

7

3
4

2
0
1

2

1
1

10
9
2

11
9

3

9

5

4

5
4

1

% Unem-
ployment

3.2%
2.8%
3.8%

5.4%

5.6%
*

35.0%

23.1%
*

4.3%
*

5.0%

*
*

7.4%
8 . 7%
5.9%

7.9%
8.7%
6.4%

5.8%
5.9%
5 . 6%

6.2%
6.0%
7.1%

Standard

Error
% Unem-
ployment

.1%

.1%
.1%

1.5%
1 . 6%

6 . 9%
7.2%

1 . 6%
3.0%

1.4%

1.

.6%

2.

.4%

1.

.4%

1.

.7%

2.

.1%

1,

.1%

1.

.5%

1.

.6%

1.

.6%

1.7%
4.4%

* Data base is too small to provide a meaningful estimate.
Source: Unpublished data furnished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

-20-

APPENDICES

I . Data Reliability and the Standard Error

"Standard Error" (S. E.) is a commonly used measure
of sampling variability, that is, a measure of the degree
of confidence that can be attached to a statistic which is
estimated by a sampling method rather than a complete count.

An individual statistic estimated from a sampling pro-
cedure will vary from the "true" figure that would have been
obtained from a complete count by an unknown amount due to
chance. However, if the Standard Error of an estimated num-
ber is known, statistical theory permits a specific inter-
pretation of the estimated number's reliability in terms of
probabilities. There is approximately a 2 out of 3 chance
(68%) that the difference (either plus or minus) between a
sample estimate and the true figure is greater than the
estimate's standard error. There is about a 95% probaba-
bility that the difference between the estimate and the
true figure is less than twice the Standard Error. For
example, (from Table 3), there is approximately a 95%
probability that the true percent unemployment of all
Writers, Artists, and Entertainers in 197 5 was between
6.4% and 8.4% [7.4% - 2 (.5) to 7 . 4% + 2 (.5) J . About
a 5% chance remains that the true value falls outside
of this range. This range is sometimes called the "95%
confidence range," and is a commonly used benchmark as
an indication of data reliability. The Standard Errors
shown in this report have been computed using error tables
furnished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A further technical note: The basic concept behind
the construction of a confidence range in this way requires
that the sample size be reasonably large. A substantial
number of the unemployment rates given in Tables 5 through
9 are based on very small samples and it is not valid to
interpret a confidence range as more than a rough indication
of reliability in these cases. For example,, in several
cases, the lower limit of a 9 5% confidence range would' be
less than 0% unemployment, obviously an impossibility. This
problem also arises in cases of moderately large samples

-21-

but with a very low estimated rate of unemployment. Even
in such cases, however, the calculation of a confidence
range can provide a still useful, though often very crude,
indication of reliability. As noted in the tables, cases
marked with an asterisk are based on samples so small that
neither the percent unemployed nor a measure of its relia-
bility would be accurate enough to be considered useful.
Accordingly, all cases in Tables 5-9 with less than
10,000 persons estimated in the total labor force or
with zero unemployment are marked by an asterisk in the
percent unemployed column.

II . Employment and Unemployment Trends

Some of the data for individual occupations presented
in Tables 4-9 indicate substantial changes in unemployment
from year to year or overall 5 year trends. However, because
of the data reliability problem arising from the very small
samples in some cases, most such year to year changes and
trends cannot be confidently attributed to other than varia-
tions that would be expected to occur due to chance errors
in estimation. There are statistical testing procedures
available to calculate the probability that a particular
statistic varies from year to year because the true figure
has varied rather than because of chance fluctuation. 1/
A number of the noticeable annual fluctuations in unemploy-
ment for the individual occupations do not pass these tests,
and it is generally suggested that Tables 4-9 should not
be used to plot trend lines. However, the total Writers,
Artists, and Entertainers in Table 3 can be used to plot
a trend line because of the improved reliability that results
from the aggregation of data. This trend line is plotted in
Figure 1.

1/ One convenient test uses the Standard Error of the two
numbers to be compared (S. E.i and S. E.2 ) to compute
the Standard Error of the estimated difference between
them (S. E-2 - l). In an identical fashion to the pro-
cess involving a single statistic, a confidence region
can be constructed for the difference between the two
estimates. The formula for the standard error of the
difference between 2 estimates is:

S.E.2 , = -i/(S.E., )fc + (S.E-2 )

where S. E . ^ and S. E-2 are the standard errors of
the two estimates.

-22-

Ill . Need for Additional Research

A. Seasonality of Employment. Part of the lore of
the artistic occupations is seasonality in employment. This
is thought to be the greatest for Actors, Musicians, and
Dancers. Similarly, Architects' employment lore suggests

a broad peak starting at the beginning of the construction
season and continuing at a fairly high level until late fall
when construction activity tends to diminish. Other artistic
occupations such as Painters and Sculptors, Photographers,
and Designers are believed to have relatively lower degrees
of seasonality in their employment. The data currently
available for study is too limited to permit assessment of
seasonality. The data obtained in the 197 0 Census was based
on employment in the week prior to the Census, namely, the
last week of March, 1970. This might have been a period of
relatively low employment in the year for artists in the
performing arts occupations, but was probably a peak period
of employment for architects. The available data does not
permit the appropriate adjustments to be made. Therefore,
the data shown in Table 4 for 1970 may be misleading with
respect to percent unemployment of Architects, shown at a
fairly low level of 1.4%, if compared with the annualized
monthly coverages for 1971 - 1975; and similarly too high
for Actors, Dancers, and Musicians and composers. The
data presented for years 1971 through 197 5 is based on an
annualized monthly average and is not revealing of seasonal
variations of employment.

Virtually no research has been done on the subject
of seasonality in unemployment in the artistic occupations .
This topic should be part of a broad series of studies to
acquire a far better understanding of the characteristics
of employment in the artistic occupations.

B. Shifts in Employment Status. A general problem in
the measurement of employment and unemployment is that the
characteristics and conditions of the work force are not
static but are constantly changing in many ways. Of par-
ticular importance in the artistic occupations are multiple
employment, sometimes referred to an "moonlighting," and
movements between classifications in which employment and

-23-

unemployment are measured. Unfortunately, however, very
little information is available for analysis. Part of
the lore of artistic occupations such as Musicians and
Composers, Painters and Sculptors, and Writers, is that
many individuals derive their principal income from non-
artistic occupations. No measure of this condition is
presently available. In addition, it is believed that
many persons in artistic occupations frequently shift
status or maintain a dual status between working for
wages and s elf -employment . For example, a Musician
working for wages may also be a self-employed music
teacher and Painters and Sculptors, and Writers, may
work at home or in studios as self-employed individuals
without deriving income for their work for long intervals
of time. The distinction between an unemployed artist and
a self-employed artist without income is largely a personal
self-view. Table 10 shows the numbers of persons in artis-
tic occupations working for wages or self-employed in 1970,
while Table 11 shows self -employment as a percent of the
artistic occupation labor force. Figure 2 diagrams the
relationships between the several possible categories of
employed and unemployed individuals in the artist labor
force. In addition, a very large group of individuals
are to be found in a group not employed or currently
seeking employment that are therefore excluded from the
labor force total. This includes individuals who are
keeping house, at school, ill, or retired. There are
undoubtedly substantial shifts between such individuals
and those who are working for wages, self-employed, and
unemployed. Table 12 shows the numbers of persons who
last worked in artistic occupations but were not counted
in the labor force in 1970, while Table 13 shows the
persons not counted in the labor force as a percent of
the labor force. This group exceeded 100,000 individuals
or about l/8th as large as the artist labor force in 1970.

Full understanding of the importance of shifts
of status to the measurement of employment and unemploy-
ment of artists is not possible with currently available
information. Substantial additional research is required
as part of a broad program to improve understanding of the
artistic occupations.

-24-

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-25-

TABLE 11

SELF-EMPLOYMENT AS A PERCENT OF SELECTED
ARTISTIC OCCUPATIONS LABOR FORCE: 1970

Architects 30.8%

Actors 12.4%

Authors 32.5%

Dancers 4.1%

Designers 8.3%

Musicians & Composers 29.3%

Painters & Sculptors 28.7%

Photographers 45.8%

Source: Table 10

-26-

FIGURE 2

DIAGRAM OF POSSIBLE SHIFTS

IN LABOR FORCE STATUS WITHIN

THE ARTISTIC OCCUPATIONS

WORK
FOR WAGES

SELF
EMPLOYED

I

In

V.

n

»

UNEMPLOYED ARTISTS

I

1

NOT EMPLOYED AND NOT
SEEKING EMPLOYMENT BUT
LAST WORKED IN AN
ARTISTIC OCCUPATION

i

ARTIST

LABOR

FORCE

NOT COUNTED

AS PART OF

THE ARTIST

LABOR FORCE

-27-

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-28-

TABLE 13

PERSONS NOT IN LABOR FORCE BUT LAST

WORKED IN ARTISTIC OCCUPATIONS 1960

TO 1970 , AS A PERCENT OF SELECTED

ARTISTIC OCCUPATION LABOR FORCE: 1970

Architects 10.0%

Actors 63.3%

Authors 21.2%

Dancers 74.2%

Designers 16.5%

Musicians & Composers 28.5%

Painters & Sculptors 22.2%

Photographers 17.0%

'o

'o

'o

Source: Table 51, U.S. Bureau of the
Census, Census of Population: 1970 Sub-
ject Reports, Final Report PC(2)-7A,
Occupational Characteristics.

-29-

C. Data Frequency. The best data available at the
present time for the study of employment and unemployment
of artists are from the decennial censuses conducted by the
Bureau of the Census. This data is fairly detailed and
makes possible the study of many aspects of the employment
and unemployment of artists. However, the ten year interval
is so great that comparisons from census to census are a
coarse measure of change. Within the ten year interval,
the annualized monthly averages data available from the
Bureau of Labor Statistics provides some interesting infor-
mation that is helpful in understanding gross trends in
employment and unemployment for the aggregate group of
Writers, Artists, and Entertainers and selected occupational
classifications. This data, however, is less accurate be-
cause of the sample size and many of the detailed data
elements of the decennial census are not included.

A change of the census period from the ten year
interval to a five year interval beginning with 1985 is now
proposed in the Authorization Bill for the 1980 Census.
This change would provide a significant improvement in the
data available for the study of the artistic occupations.

I

I

i
i