Research
Division
Report
#30
Participation
Research
Research Division
Report #30
national
endowment
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PRACTICAL
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Participation
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Research Division
Report #30
NATIONAL
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A practical guide to arts participation research / prepared by
AMS Planning & Research Corp.
p. cm. - (Research Division Report ; 30)
Includes bibliographical references.
1. Arts audiences -United States. 2. Arts surveys -United States.
I. AMS Planning & Research Corp. II. Series: Research Division Report
(National Endowment for the Arts. Research Division) ; 30.
NX220.P73 1995
700M'030973-dc20 95-12004
CIP
PLANNING & RESEARCH
2150 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06430
Phone (203) 256-1616, Fax (203) 256-1311
/
M
ABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface i-Ui
I. Arts Participation Studies and 1
Audience Research Techniques
What is Arts Participation Research? 2
Why Conduct an Arts Participation Study? 4
Assembling a Research Team 8
II. Historical Perspective on
Arts Participation Research 13
Early Audience Studies 14
Three Arts Endowment Studies Before 1982 15
The Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts 20
Local Area Arts Participation Studies 23
Other Arts Participation Studies 27
Future Research Issues 29
III. The Anatomy of an Arts Participation Study 31
Research Planning 32
Seeking Professional Assistance 34
Methods of Collecting Arts Participation Data 40
Response Rates and Bias 44
Sample Design Issues 48
Survey Design Issues 53
Preparing Data for Analysis 62
Analysis and Reporting 62
IV. Appendix 69
Sample Survey Instrument 70
Resources for Professional Assistance 80
Selected Geography Definitions 81
Sampling Error Table 82
Census-Defined Demographic Cohorts 83
Bibliography on Public Participation in the Arts 85
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries
http://archive.org/details/practicalguidetoOOamsp
EFACE
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*|Fho is in the audience? Who isn't? Why do people participate in
the arts? How can more people be attracted to our theaters, con-
cert halls, and museums? Since early this century, the quest for
information about the American arts public has sparked countless research
efforts - from simple audience surveys to national studies - to gain insight
on how Americans relate to the arts. If, as some suggest, the arts are an
essential means for cultural expression, then the study of arts participa-
tion is central to our understanding of American culture and its evolution.
Interest in arts participation research has grown steadily since the early
museum visitor studies of the 1920s. In post- World War II America, while
arts administrators continued to seek information about their patrons, a
larger constituency of policy-makers, educators, and fonder s grew active in
the area of arts research. Changing demographic, cultural, political, and
economic forces began to impact the demand for and supply of arts pro-
grams. During the 1970s an emerging focus became arts participation
research - the study of both attenders and non-attenders - separate from
and complementary to audience research. With a broader context, research
began to examine arts participation patterns in relation to the supply of
arts programs and facilities, and myriad other issues such as music prefer-
ences, arts participation through broadcast and recorded media, and barri-
ers to increased participation. Today, such research is employed by local
arts administrators as a resource for advocacy, facility development, cultur-
al planning, marketing, and policy evaluation purposes.
It is the goal of this publication to provide arts managers with an under-
standing of arts participation research at the national and local levels. To
this end, a two-fold approach is taken. First, the historical development of
arts participation research is summarized in order to gain perspective on
current research. Second, readers are provided with an overview of how to
conduct an arts participation study. Thus, the term "guide" is used to
reflect the practical applications of the information provided.
i/
This report draws on the experience gained through numerous national
and local arts participation studies, especially the nationwide Surveys of
Public Participation in the Arts (SPPAs) conducted by the Census Bureau
for the National Endowment for the Arts in 1982, 1985, and 1992 and the
12 Local Area Arts Participation Surveys (LAAPS) conducted in 1992 by
the Arts Endowment and local sponsors in each area. The first section
defines "arts participation research" and discusses the reasons for initiat-
ing a study as well as how to structure a successful research effort. An his-
torical perspective on arts participation research is presented in the middle
section, tracing the progression of arts participation research in terms of
both knowledge gained and methods used. The third section provides an
overview of how to conduct an arts participation survey, from design to
implementation of results.
hroughout the report and in the appendix, numerous references are
provided to a range of research reports, instructional texts, and
other publications on arts participation. Given the numerous
demands on their time, arts administrators cannot be expected to have the
time to follow the arts participation literature nor to possess the technical
background to implement their own survey. Therefore the approach of this
guide is to assume some level of professional assistance with research,
rather than to spell-out every step in a hypothetical survey effort. This
approach recognizes the varying research interests of arts administrators
in different situations and allows for flexibility in the design of a study.
Examples are provided throughout to illustrate a range of research
solutions.
Through this publication we hope to expand awareness and understanding
of arts participation research and to assist local arts administrators in
gaining fluency with the associated vocabulary and concepts. Armed with
the background and technical information contained in these pages, the
pathway to a successful study should be clearer.
We are grateful to numerous individuals from arts agencies, service
organizations, and institutions who shared their research experiences
and provided examples of successful and unsuccessful studies; both were
helpful. Special thanks to participants in the 12 Local Studies and to
representatives of the Bay Area Research Project (San Francisco), the
Audience Research Consortium (Toronto), the Greater Philadelphia
Cultural Alliance, the Cleveland Foundation, and others for providing
materials and de-briefing their research projects.
More than anything, this handbook benefits from years of Arts
Endowment-sponsored research - from the 1977 Audience Studies of the
Performing Arts and Museums: A Critical Review (DiMaggio/Useem/
Brown) which took stock of early audience research efforts, to John
Robinson's Arts Participation in America: 1982-1992. published in October
1993. The insight gained through almost twenty years of arts participation
research is vital not only to national policy-makers, but to local arts admin-
istrators who strive to understand the dynamics of arts participation in
their own communities.
Research Division
National Endowment for the Arts
January 1995
Section I
rts Participation
Studies and Audience
research Techniques
T nformation-gathering is an essential element of good arts manage-
ment. Since the early museum visitor studies of the 1920s, audience
J1L research efforts at the local, regional, and national levels have explored
the relationships between audiences, artists, and the institutions that
bring them together. While arts par-
ticipation was a simpler matter in
the homogeneous society of America
before World War II, the subsequent
growth and diversification of the
U.S. population has created a vastly
more complex panorama. Today,
policy-makers, arts administrators,
funders, researchers and educators
seek a better understanding of the
forces behind arts participation and
how they are changing or can be
changed.
Cultural diversity, shrinking leisure
time, increased competition for disposable income, and other factors influ-
ence arts participation patterns in new and unknown ways. Technology, as
well, impacts arts participation patterns - both in the home and at the the-
ater. How will the "information superhighway" impact arts participation?
In a rapidly evolving cultural environment, the need to re-shape programs,
re-focus promotional efforts, and create relevant policies levies a strong
charge for thoughtful research.
a)
05
■e
.Q
Computer Technology
has greatly improved
telephone survey
METHODS.
Arts participation research emerged as a concept distinct from audience
research in the early 1970s, when advocates and politicians sought to
4
understand more about arts attendance patterns to inform policy decisions.
The National Endowment for the Arts conducted Surveys of Public
Participation in the Arts (SPPAs) in 1982, 1985 and 1992 - representing
the most comprehensive research to date on trends in arts attendance pat-
terns and related subjects. Numerous other national studies have also been
conducted by various agencies and pollsters. An historical perspective on
arts participation research is presented in Section II of this guide.
At the local level, arts participation research has many applications. For
example, survey results can be pivotal in lobbying elected officials for
increased budget allocations. Assessing public attitudes about the arts (i.e.,
programs, facilities, public funding, etc.) can stimulate cultural planning
efforts and add force to advocacy work. Measuring trends in arts participa-
tion patterns is a critical step in effective long-term policy development and
evaluation for local arts agencies, especially in culturally diverse communi-
ties. The uses of arts participation research are discussed in detail below.
First, arts participation research is denned and contrasted to audience
research.
What is Arts Participation Research?
Arts participation research focuses on the general population; both users
and non-users of all types of arts programs. Three characteristics broadly
define these surveys:
A general population is surveyed, such as all adults living in a certain
area. Geographies to be studied can range from small cities or counties
to larger regions, states, and the entire nation.
• Some form of random sampling is employed so that results can be
generalized to the population being studied. (Random sampling implies
that each person has an equal, known chance of being interviewed.)
The survey includes questions about the individual's participation in
various arts activities as well as standard socio-economic and
demographic variables such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, etc.
Arts participation can include attendance at live performances, visiting
museums, galleries or historic sites, reading literature, listening and/or
STUDYING ARTS PARTICIPATION
Audience
Research
Methods
Research Topics
Primary Uses
Audience surveys,
focus groups and
interviews, mailing
list analysis, etc.
Satisfaction with
programs, reasons for
attending, purchase
decision factors, etc.
watching arts pro-
grams on broadcast or
recorded media, and
performing or creating
art (e.g., singing,
painting).
In contrast, audience
surveys focus only on
known attenders, often
only at one particular
arts institution. These
surveys are frequently
conducted for market-
ing purposes (e.g., to
assess audience satis-
faction levels), or to
measure the expenditures made by audience members as part of an eco-
nomic impact study. In 1985, the Arts Endowment Research Division pub-
lished a manual, Surveying Your Arts Audience, to help arts managers
conduct more effective audience research. That publication, much like this
one, was intended to raise the standards of research efforts and to promote
industry-wide consistency in data collection efforts by establishing common
research procedures.1
Arts Participation
Research
Community surveys
(random sample),
focus groups and
interviews
Frequency of atten-
dance, reasons for not
attending more often,
awareness of arts
programs, attitudes
about the arts
Audience development, i Advocacy, cultural
economic impact, planning, arts policy
testing promotional development, facility
ideas, etc. development
Audience vs. arts
participation research.
The object of arts participation research is to obtain information about the
characteristics of people who do participate in the arts and about those
who do not. Results are usually generalized from a subset of members of a
population to the population as a whole (such as a city or county). Since
everyone in the community cannot be interviewed, a random sampling
technique is necessarily involved. While other research methods (such as
focus groups) can add valuable context to arts participation research, the
"general population survey" is the primary vehicle for data collection, and
is the focus of this guide.
*A similar publication, Visitor Surveys: A User's Manual by Randi Korn and Laurie Sowd, was published in 1990 by the
American Association of Museums, and is available through AAM, telephone (202) 289-6578.
Although issues addressed in arts participation surveys vary from project
to project, certain "core" questions are common across most surveys. For a
more complete discussion of survey design, see Section III. A few of the
most frequently included topics are:
III arts participation via attendance at performances and exhibits, via
broadcast and recorded media, and through creation of art
II frequency of participation
II awareness of arts programs, facilities, and institutions
II sources of information about arts events
II reasons for not attending more often
II participation in other leisure activities
II attitudes/opinions about the arts
III preferences for different types of arts programs
Surveys covering these and other topics can incorporate standardized
questions which have been used successfully in other surveys. A goal of
this guide is to illustrate survey questions that have been successfully
used in national and local arts participation surveys. The process of
designing a survey is critical to the ultimate success of a research effort;
there is no substitute for a rigorous and comprehensive research design
process. The authors do not advocate wholesale copying of survey ques-
tions from any source, although there is much to gain from the experience
of others after setting your own research priorities.
Why Conduct an Arts Participation
Study?
Usually, audience research is undertaken in response to a particular mar-
keting challenge (e.g., to test alternative subscription packages, to mea-
sure patron satisfaction levels). In contrast, arts participation research is
used less frequently as a problem-solving technique and more often to aid
in policy development. Results from arts participation research have many
potential applications, including:
Evaluation. Assessing the "state of the arts" in a locality or region
involves arts participation research. Studying how the citizens of a
specific area interact with the supply of arts facilities and programs can
reveal important facts about the local arts system. When similar data are
gathered over a period of years, it is possible to ascertain trends in arts
participation patterns and begin to answer the question "how are we
doing?" For example, communities experiencing rapid demographic
change and/or cultural diversification conduct research focusing on the
attendance patterns of key groups. Results can bring clarity to arts policy
and may be used to support funding appeals for new arts programs, for
example.
Influencing Funding Decisions. Research is frequently conducted to
ascertain public opinion on a variety of arts-related issues, often in connec-
tion with ballot initiatives. Tax-based funding is an important source of
income for arts groups in some cities. (For example, in Denver (CO), Fresno
(CA), and San Antonio (TX), a percentage of proceeds from various taxes is
allocated to arts programs.) As arts advocates seek to build a case for
increased public funding, research is conducted to assess public attitudes
about the importance of the arts and voters' willingness to support a fund-
ing initiative. Similarly, local arts agencies have used results from arts par-
ticipation studies to strengthen the case for arts education funding,
sometimes in conjunction with school board elections.
Survey results, when used to influence
high level of scrutiny, particularly
from those with an opposing view-
point. Understanding the methods of
obtaining high-quality data is partic-
ularly important when researching
public opinion. In addition to explor-
ing current issues, such efforts can
add valuable understanding to the
arts participation patterns in a com-
munity.
Evaluating Proposed Arts
Facilities. Planning efforts for new
or renovated arts facilities (e.g.,
public policy, may be subject to a
California Center for the Arts
Escondido, California
Prior to opening in 1994, management of this new arts
complex conducted arts participation research to evaluate
the market potential for various types of programming.
A telephone survey was administered to a random sample
of 400 area households, probing topics such as frequency of
arts attendance, other leisure activities, purchase decision
factors, personal values, and attitudes about arts program-
ming. Results helped shape programming choices for the
inaugural season, as well as creative marketing approach-
es and targeting strategies.
£
theaters, museums, cultural centers) frequently include a survey research
component. Topics covered usually include:
current attendance patterns/facility use
III perceived need for additional facilities
II preferences for site alternatives
II support of funding alternatives
II concerns about related issues (e.g., safety, transportation)
The developer of a project (e.g., a Community Development Corporation or
Redevelopment Agency) usually initiates the research effort, and the local
arts agency is sometimes a partner. In a typical situation, research is con-
ducted as part of a feasibility study. Publicizing results from such a study
can help build awareness of the project.
Obtaining Public Input for
Cultural Plans. Numerous local
arts agencies have undertaken cul-
tural planning efforts which often
involve survey research. In such
plans, a community survey may be
used to measure frequency of partici-
pation, awareness of local arts pro-
grams, adequacy of existing arts
facilities, attitudes about arts-in-
education, funding issues and other
topics. The resulting data are used
to develop priorities for local cultural
development, such as expanded arts
facilities, programs and events, etc.
Other topics queried in a cultural
plan survey might include sources of information about arts events, gener-
al use of leisure time, arts participation through the media, attitudes about
a united arts fund drive, and opinions about public funding of arts pro-
grams. Cultural planning has been the catalyst for most of the local arts
participation research conducted in the U.S.
Anchorage Cultural Master Plan
Anchorage, Alaska
The municipality of Anchorage completed a community
cultural plan in 1993. The planning process included a
telephone survey of 350 randomly-selected households to
measure arts attendance patterns, attitudes about the
arts and arts education, preferences for different types of
activities, sources of information about arts events, and
other topics. Respondents were also asked about their
willingness to support increased public funding for the
arts through surcharges on movie tickets, video rentals,
and cable TV bills.
Results were used to establish a "Quality of Life"
Coalition advocating for a stable source of public funds to
support arts, culture, libraries, and amateur sports
activities.
Supporting Advocacy
Efforts. A primary
reason to conduct arts
participation research
is to gather data which
can be used to heighten
public awareness of the
arts. In 1992 the
National Cultural
N
T 1 () N
S I
K
E
Many Renoites prefer
La Boheme to la ballgame.
Alliance conducted a nationwide survey of 1,059 adults to measure the
importance and availability of the arts and humanities in their lives.
Results were released at a press conference and helped to shape a national
public awareness campaign.
Billboard artwork
developed for the reno
Arts Commission.
Research can also fuel local advocacy campaigns. The Reno (NV) Arts
Commission used results from a local arts participation study to design an
arts advocacy media campaign. Reno's particularly high literature partici-
pation rate was the focus of radio and television public service announce-
ments and a series of outdoor billboards. Survey topics relating to attitudes
and opinions about the arts (e.g., interest in the arts, perceived importance
of the arts, value of arts education programs) are most likely to yield
results that can be used for advocacy purposes.
A word of caution is in order about research conducted for advocacy purpos-
es. It is incumbent upon an ethical researcher to retrain from designing
survey questions to yield results the client wants. Thus, the real possibility
exists that survey data may in fact be harmful to advocacy efforts, and the
ethical researcher is obliged to report these results in an objective fashion.
Substantial controversy can result from biased questioning and/or incom-
plete reporting; such activity can emasculate any research project and
undermines the credibility of research in general.
Audience Development. Arts participation research can play a vital role
in audience development efforts. While audience research is limited to
known attenders, a general population survey can collect valuable data on
both attenders and non-attenders and the factors that distinguish them.
For this purpose, surveys can help to identify:
City of Oakland
Oakland, California
The Cultural Arts Division of the City of Oakland conduct-
ed a telephone survey of area households in 1989 to assist
with local audience development. Respondents were asked
about cultural interests, attendance habits, sources of
information about arts programs, and related topics.
Audience surveys were also administered to obtain data
from known attenders.
Results were used to brainstorm cooperative marketing
approaches for local arts groups and to shape a citywide
"marketing and image enhancement campaign." Outside
consultants also worked with individual arts groups to
evaluate survey results and recommend specific marketing
strategies and creative approaches.
1 awareness of local arts programs
potential audience segments
factors influencing attendance
I unique characteristics of local
artists, arts organizations, and
culturally-specific populations
issues related to ticket
distribution systems
Although audience development is
generally a concern of individual
arts institutions, local arts agencies
can play a coordinating role in iden-
tifying common research interests
among local organizations, and in
providing technical assistance.
Local arts agencies can also use
research results to help constituent arts groups formulate umbrella mar-
keting campaigns. Key to the success of such efforts is the involvement of
marketing professionals who can help translate research results into
creative promotional strategies.
In addition to the uses of arts participation survey results noted above, the
research process, itself, can favorably impact an organization in several
respects. In a broad sense, an investment in research is a commitment to
learning. The process of designing a questionnaire involves clarifying
issues and setting priorities. This process - whether individual or collective
- can bring a sharper focus to organizational goals and a heightened
sensitivity to arts participation issues. Staff, board members, and other
volunteers can also benefit from an enhanced understanding of research
methods - technical skills that may be applied to future management
challenges.
ASSEMBLING A RESEARCH TEAM
In addition to understanding the "what" and "why" of arts participation
research, another key concept is the "who" - who can benefit from arts
participation research, and how can they be involved in the process? At the
earliest stages of planning a research effort, a constituency for the project
should be defined and a "research team" assembled. (Section III of this
report provides more information about research planning and seeking
professional assistance.) Creation of a committee or task force comprised of
key individuals who will be impacted by the research is a critical first step.
Composition of the group depends on the purpose of the research and the
level of oversight needed. Stakeholders might include:
Wt arts agency administrators
X public policy makers (elected officials, school board members, etc.)
H arts presenters and producers (staff and/or board members)
8 funders (corporations, community foundations, etc.)
Wi media representatives (especially newspapers)
M artists (visual and performing artists, crafts people)
8 tourism/visitor industry representatives, including local businesses
The meaningful participation of stakeholders in all stages of research from
planning to communication of the results accomplishes several things.
First, the relevance of survey results will be enhanced if potential benefi-
ciaries have a hand in survey design. Second, results will be more broadly
distributed and better understood if more people have a vested interest in
a successful outcome. Finally, a group of well-placed individuals can add
credibility to a research effort.
The research team may include individuals from a variety of backgrounds.
For example, if the primary purpose of the research effort is audience
development, the involvement of local presenters and producers (both per-
forming and visual arts) will be essential. If the arts participation patterns
of culturally-specific groups are to be studied, project leadership should
include representatives of the cultures to be studied. If advocacy is the
focus, business and media representation on the research task force will
lend credibility to the results and facilitate their communication. One pos-
sible structure for an arts participation research project is presented in the
chart on the following page.
Collaborative Research: A Model
Public Radio
Station
Local
Orchestra
University
Presenter
Community
Theatre Co.
}
}
Local Arts
Agency
(fiscal agent)
Project
Funders
RESEARCH
TASK FORCE
(mechanism for
stakeholder
involvement
in research
design and
project
oversight)
Professional
Team
(consultants,
research field
house, other
specialists,
etc.)
In preparing this
guide, interviews were
conducted with spon-
sors of numerous local
arts participation stud-
ies in order to see how
results ultimately
were used and to gain
experience which
might be shared
through this guide.
Generalizing from the
comments of research
sponsors, the most successful efforts - in terms of actions taken based on
survey results - were those which involved broad-based community
involvement in research planning, survey design, and interpretation of
results. Research efforts in Sedona (AZ) and Reno (NV) were notably suc-
cessful in this regard. In situations where stakeholders were less involved
throughout the process, survey results were more likely to be greeted with
skepticism and less likely to be acted upon.
Consortium-Based Research
Consortium-based research (where a group of organizations collaborate on
a study) is increasing in popularity. In 1991, a group of thirteen museums
in the San Francisco area cooperated on an audience development study
known as the "Bay Area Research Project" (or BARP), focusing on how to
reach more diverse audiences. A Board of Advisors was formed to oversee
the research effort, which included one or more representative of each
institution. In 1988, four Toronto-based cultural institutions affiliated to
form an "Audience Research Consortium" (see next page). The group
received government funding to conduct an extensive multi-year visitor
study resembling the San Francisco study but broader in scope. Other
examples of consortium-based research can be found, including those by
the National Endowment for the Arts and national service organizations
such as the National Cultural Alliance.
Collaborative arts participation research is a relatively new
idea in the arts industry. The amount of coordination neces-
sary to successfully complete a joint research project is sub-
stantial, and with limited staff/board resources, arts groups
can be reluctant to get involved. The chances of forging an
alliance are greatly increased when a funder or other "project
champion" comes forward (e.g., a community foundation, local
arts agency, Chamber of Commerce). Also, arts participation
research breaks the traditional problem-solving focus of
research by forcing all participants to agree on common
issues, all of which might not relate directly to their individ-
ual concerns.
Cost economies, however, strongly encourage collaborative
research. In addition to arts participation surveys, such
efforts can include:
8 cooperative audience surveys
M market area demographic and lifestyle reports
■ analysis of overlapping audiences
■ mailing list analyses using geo-demographic segmentation
M workshops and other technical assistance programs
Research partners might include museums, orchestras, dance
companies, presenters, theater companies, opera companies,
art schools, and public radio stations. Generally, the amount
and quality of research that can be accomplished by a group of
organizations far exceeds the limited resources of any single
organization. Collaborative research projects also make attrac-
tive funding opportunities for community foundations and local businesses
■■■■■,
^ymmmmm
.IK.:.:-:.:-:-:-:::-::-:-:-::::::::-:.:-:-:-:.:.;.:-:-:-:-:-:.:.:-:
Ontario Research
Consortium
Ontario, Canada
In 1988, the Art Gallery of
Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum,
Ontario Science Centre, and
Metropolitan Toronto Zoo formed
an "Audience Research
Consortium" to study how they
might individually and collec-
tively attract a larger and more
diverse audience. After a compet-
itive bidding process, profession-
al consultants were retained to
conduct the research.
A three-year program of surveys,
focus groups, and in-depth inter-
views was designed to explore
the demographic, situational,
psychographic, and motivational
factors influencing attendance.
Results were published in a
series of three reports.
The project was funded primari-
ly through government grants.
To obtain copies of the reports,
contact the Art Gallery of
Ontario, 317 Dundas St. West,
Toronto Ontario, Canada M5T
1G4, telephone (416) 979-6660.
The process-intensive nature of collaborative research is both a challenge
and an opportunity. Typically, some compromises need to be made in sur-
vey design, sample sizes, etc., in order to accommodate all participants.
Working with a large research committee or task force can also be
unwieldy. Project leadership needs to be clearly structured with carefully
denned roles and responsibilities.
Section II
istorical perspective
on Arts Participation
research
.4
M
lthough arts institutions have been studying their audiences
since the early part of this century, it wasn't until the 1950s and
1960s that broad-based audience research began to evolve into
arts participation research as we know it today. While early audience
studies focused primarily on the characteristics of known attenders, more
complex issues faced researchers as the cultural diversification of the U.S.
accelerated and policy-makers sought new and better information about
the changing arts public. Research focus began to shift towards studying
both attenders and non-attenders and the factors distinguishing each
group. As the nature of arts participation research became more complex,
research methods also became more sophisticated and scientific. This sec-
tion traces the development of arts participation research over the past
several decades, highlighting a range of studies and their contribution to
the field.
With the establishment in 1975 of a Research Division within the National
Endowment for the Arts, arts participation research began to be coordinat-
ed at the national level. Responding to the information needs of cultural
policy-makers and the arts community, the Endowment's Research
Division has commissioned a substantial amount of research on artists,
arts audiences, arts organizations, and related topics, and continues to
play a central role. A milestone in the study of arts audiences was the first
Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA) in 1982, which was
repeated using similar methods in 1985 and 1992. Results from the three
SPPA studies represent the most comprehensive data available on arts par-
ticipation in the U.S.
Arts participation research at the local level is a relatively new idea and
mostly the result of interest sparked by the national surveys. A variety of
community surveys, including the 12 Local Area Arts Participation Surveys
(LAAPS) sponsored by the Arts Endowment in 1992, have studied arts par-
ticipation patterns at the local level and uncovered some of the richness
within each community. From an historical perspective, these local studies
- and future ones - owe much to the accumulating body of nationwide
research sponsored by the Arts Endowment and other agencies.
Early Audience Studies
Arts participation researchers credit much to a seminal audience study
published in 1966 entitled Performing Arts - The Economic Dilemma, by
William J. Baumol and William G. Bowen. Over a period of a year and a
half, Baumol and Bowen studied the characteristics of performing arts
audiences, surveying 153 performances of theatre, music, and dance, in
over 20 cities across the United States. Survey topics included basic demo-
graphics, questions related to transportation, ancillary spending, frequency
of attendance, and willingness to contribute. Results showed a relatively
homogeneous, well-educated audience made up of primarily white-collar
professionals with a median family income twice that of the urban popula-
tion. The authors concluded that "Attempts to reach a wider and more rep-
resentative audience, to interest the less educated or the less affluent, have
so far had limited effects."2
Survey Excerpt
Q: Arts activities may include attending
live performances of music, dance or
theatre, visiting museums and galleries,
listening to recordings at home, or
creating art yourself, such as painting or
playing a musical instrument. Would
you say that you are
[READ LIST AND RECORD ANSWER]
in arts activities?
Extremely interested 1
Very interested 2
Somewhat interested 3
Not too interested 4
Not at all interested 5
Baumol and Bowen's work was significant in its breadth of
data gathering and its depth of analysis; it was the first
effort to develop a composite profile of performing arts audi-
ences across America, and remains a landmark study in the
progression of audience research.
Numerous museum visitor studies were conducted during
the 1960s and 1970s, although none comparable to the
Baumol and Bowen study in terms of breadth. Around this
time, audience research conducted by museums tended to be
oriented towards visitor satisfaction and expenditure infor-
mation to be incorporated into economic impact studies. A
1969 study of 5,000 visitors to the Smithsonian Institution
Performing Arts - The Economic Dilemma. William J. Baumol and William G. Bowen, Cambridge: M.I.T. Press, 1966, p. 96.
represented a large-scale effort by one organization.3 The same year,
another study, somewhat broader in scope, gathered data on visitors to six
New York museums.4 Historically, the American Association of Museums
(AAM), a national service organization, played an important role in com-
missioning and publishing museum visitor studies, and in providing tech-
nical assistance to its member organizations.
Canada provided one of the earliest large-scale arts participation research
efforts: The Museum and the Canadian Public, published in 1974.
Researchers interviewed a random sample of over 7,000 Canadians age 14
years and over representing all Provinces. A brief survey relating to leisure
activities - including visits to museums and historical sites - was adminis-
tered through in-home personal interviews. A follow-up survey, one for
museum participants and one for non-participants, was left behind for
each respondent to fill out and return by mail.5 Results were generalizable
to the Canadian population at a 95% confidence level with a sampling
error of 1%. The study was significant not only in its findings but in the
methods used, foreshadowing subsequent arts participation research in
both the U.S. and Canada.
Three Arts Endowment Studies
BEFORE 1982
Since 1976, the Research Division of the National Endowment for the Arts
has been studying matters of interest to the arts community and issuing
reports based on its findings. Different studies have focused on artists, arts
audiences, and arts organizations. Prior to 1982 and the first nationwide
SPPA, three separate studies examined public participation in the arts.
Two of these studies explored different approaches to arts participation
research (Reports #14 and #17), and the other presented a critical review
of audience studies conducted prior to 1979 (Report #9). All three research
efforts contributed in some way to the development of the nationwide
SPPA surveys and to the progression of arts participation research in
general.
3Smithsonian Visitor, by Caroln H. Wells, Smithsonian Institution, 1970.
4David A. Johnson, "Museum Attendance in the New York Metropolitan Region," Curator. 1969.
5The Museum and the Canadian Puhlic. by Brian Dixon, Alice E. Courtney, and Robert H. Bailey, published in 1974 by
Culturcan Publications for the Arts and Culture Branch, Dept. of the Secretary of State, Government of Canada.
'SO
1. Audience Studies of the Performing Arts and Museums: A Critical
Review. Research Division Report #9, 1978, by Paul DiMaggio, Michael
Useem, and Paula Brown.
The concept for this project was born in 1975 out of a concern on the part of
Arts Endowment staff that audience studies being conducted by arts insti-
tutions across the U.S. were of varying quality and usefulness. Particularly
since the Arts Endowment was asked to fund some of these studies, a criti-
cal review was thought to be needed before undertaking new audience
studies. A total of 270 audience surveys were reviewed by the research
team in light of two general sets of questions:
ill What information about arts audiences can be ascertained from past
audience studies when analyzed as a set?
II What caveats and guidance can be developed for future audience studies,
especially with respect to methodologies, based on the collective
experience of past efforts?
In the course of their review, the investigators communicated with hun-
dreds of arts managers and other individuals who had been involved with
one or more audience study projects. The resulting report, finished in 1978,
advanced thinking about audience research in two important respects.
First, survey results for demographic variables (age, education, income,
occupation, gender, and race) were compiled across many studies, to build a
composite profile of arts attenders. Compiled statistics described a well-
educated, relatively homogeneous audience with respect to age, race,
income, and occupation. Commenting on the data, researchers observed:
"Individual organizations need to standardize their survey
data in order to make results more useful to themselves and to
others. "
Further research was undertaken to assess motives for conducting audi-
ence research and under what conditions the data were used most effec-
tively. The investigators found a lack of understanding of the potential
applications of audience research and a general lack of concern over techni-
cal quality. Four recommendations resulted:
support for systematic planning in the arts with some consensus as to
the role of audience research
creation of an information clearinghouse to publicize and disseminate
arts research
establishment of local consortiums for cooperative arts research to aid
institutions that cannot afford their own work
M workshops on social science methods for managers and administrators
of cultural institutions
Finally, the study called for a more methodical approach to audience
research, but stopped short of suggesting a general population survey:
"...we need on a national basis routine gathering of
descriptive [audience] statistics over time. These should be
from a sample stratified according to institutional type,
region, degree of urbanization, programming policy,
professional status, and ticket prices."
"Non-attenders, who are of great interest to arts man-
agers, pose a problem for audience research and may
require special attention through in-depth interviews."
More than any other single study, the DiMaggio/Useem/Brown
report laid the conceptual groundwork for subsequent arts
participation studies including the nationwide SPPA surveys,
and mandated increased technical assistance with audience
surveys (e.g., Surveying Your Arts Audience, the 1985
Research Division manual), and ultimately this guide.
2. Audience Development: An Examination of Selected
Analysis and Prediction Techniques Applied to Symphony and
Theatre Attendance in Four Southern Cities. Research
Division Report #14, 1981, by Alan Andreason and Russell
Belk.
Based on data collected in 1977, this study was notable for its
attempt to predict what marketing tactics would cause
Survey Excerpt
Q. I'm going to read a list of events
that some people like to attend. If
you could go to any of these events as
often as you wanted, would you be
very interested, somewhat interested,
or not interested in attending
[READ AND ROTATE
LIST] more often than you do now?
-*J — -w -—
QQ > 00 Cfi
- ? - -
r> e - - _i -
& c ° s .2 e
> - v. - Z —
Classical music
concerts
Jazz or pops concerts
Country or folk music
concerts
Opera performances
Broadway musicals
Dramatic stage plays
Comic stage plays
Modern dance
performances
Ballet performances
Other
Survey Analysis Groups
Leisure
Life-Style
Groups
General
Life-Style
Factors
Family
Life-Cycle
Stages
Passive homebody
Active sports enthusiast
Inner-directed,
self-sufficient
Traditionalism
Hedonism/optimism
Defeatism
Self-confidence/
opinion leadership
Culture patron
Active homebody
Socially-active
Source: Research Division Report #14. Alan R. Andreason and Russell W. Belk.
Cosmopolitanism
Outdoor interest
Young single
Young married
Young parent
Parent of
school children
Empty nest
Widowhood
increased attendance
among different
"leisure life-style" and
"family life-cycle"
groups, and what atti-
tudes about the arts
were associated with
future arts attendance.
With this emphasis on
audience development,
the survey sample con-
sisted of a total of
1,491 frequent or
potential attenders
meeting certain eligi-
bility requirements;
those judged as having zero probability of attending theatre or symphony
were screened out. Geographically, the sample was drawn in nearly equal
parts from four southern cities - Atlanta (GA), Baton Rouge (LA),
Columbia (SC), and Memphis (TN). All interviews were conducted by
telephone.
A lengthy, complex questionnaire consisting of over 150 items was com-
pleted by nearly all pre-screened respondents, demonstrating the viabili-
ty of telephone interviewing in 1977. (Such a response would be
considerably more difficult today.) In addition to a battery of arts partici-
pation questions, other areas of inquiry related to leisure activities, gen-
eral attitudes and values, and reactions to various incentives to attend.
Statistical procedures were used to classify respondents into different
types of analysis groups, defined in the table above. The groups were
then correlated to arts attendance variables to identify patterns in arts
participation.
In designing their study, the authors responded innovatively to questions
raised in the DiMaggio/Useem/Brown critical review, which would later
become integral to the nationwide SPPA surveys:
M Does the audience come from a single group or many groups?
S How important is early experience in arts-audience participation?
M Why do individuals attend or not attend arts offerings?
3. The Arts Public in the South. Research Division Report #17, 1984.
Integrating results from several studies, this analysis examined participa-
tion in arts-related activities in the broader context of leisure activity. In
Leisure Participation in the South, a 1979 study directed by Richard J.
Orend, randomly-selected respondents in thirteen southern states
answered questions about their participation and desired participation in
45 different leisure activities - including arts activities. Based on survey
results, nine "participation" groups and nine "demand" groups were
defined and analyzed:
Leisure Groups
"Participation" Groups
"Demand" Groups
Performing arts attendance 1.7%
Active music and performing arts 1.6%
Television viewing 12.5%
Music, plays, and poetry on radio, 1.9%
records, and TV
Active sports 3.6%
Visual arts exhibit and class attendance 4.2%
Home media, family, and friends 3
Folk music/arts and craft/performance 6,
activities
Active individual and family pursuits 17.0%
Undirected participation 47.7%
Source: Leisure Participation in the South, Richard J. Orend.
0%
Theater/music (not including jazz)/dance 4.
performance attendance
Home media and sports involving radio 11.
radio, TV, and records
Jazz concert attendance and home listening 6.
Participatory music and religion-related 6.
activities
Visual arts activities and exhibit attendance 7.
'O
%
7%
h
Family-centered activities 14
Community service/performing arts 3.
activities/TV viewing
Popular/folk/arts and crafts exhibit, fair, 6.0%
and carnival attendance
Active sports and outdoor activities 9.
Unspecialized demand 31.
The study was also significant in that it investigated reasons for non-par-
ticipation or 'limited" participation in arts activities, a topic later devel-
oped in the 1982 and 1985 SPPA surveys.
A second study, entitled Leisure Time Use in the South: A Secondary
Analysis, by John S. Reed and Peter V. Marsden, analyzed data from three
national surveys conducted in 1973, 1975, and 1978 by the National
Research Center of the Arts (NRCA). In their analysis, Reed and Marsden
examined leisure participation in the context of three dimensions:
"active" vs. "passive" activity
"away-from-home" vs. "at-home" activity
"arts-related" vs. "non-arts-related" activity
Since survey methods were similar, results from the Orend and
Reed/Marsden studies were synthesized in a report, The Arts Public in the
South. Arts Endowment Research Division Report #17. Findings related
primarily to South vs. non-South leisure participation, demographic corre-
lates of different leisure groups, barriers to increased participation, and the
nature of unmet demand for arts-related activities. Both in terms of results
and methodology, the Orend and Reed/Marsden studies made important
contributions to the development of arts participation research, particular-
ly in relating arts participation to leisure trends.
The Surveys of Public Participation
in the Arts
Building on its previous research efforts, the National Endowment for the
Arts initiated a series of nationwide surveys in 1982 to answer ten key
policy questions related to public participation in the arts (see inset next
page). These surveys were fundamentally different from previous research
efforts in several respects:
Rather than just studying audiences of particular arts institutions, these
would be general population surveys designed to profile the arts participa-
tion patterns of the entire U.S. adult population.
II Different modes of arts participation were studied, including
participation as performer, as audi-
ence member, or through broadcast
and recorded media.
The surveys were designed to
measure trends or changes in arts
participation patterns over an indef-
inite period of time.
II Problems associated with tele-
phone sampling were addressed by
using a sampling methodology
involving personal interviews.
Standard definitions of certain arts
activities such as jazz, classical music,
and stage plays were articulated.
By design, the SPPA surveys repre-
sented a new and improved
approach to arts participation
research, answering, in many
respects, concerns raised by
DiMaggio, Useem and Brown in
their 1977 critical review of audi-
ence studies. Similar methods were
used to collect data for each of the
three surveys, allowing for comparison
exceptions.
TEN POLICY QUESTIONS
Ten policy questions posed by the National Endowment for
the Arts guided the development and analyses of the
Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts:
1. How large is the current audience for individual arts and
for the arts as a whole?
2. For the performing arts, what is the relationship between
attendance at live performances and participation via
television, radio, and recordings?
3. Does the extent and nature of arts participation vary with
geographic region and with community type and size?
4. What is the relationship between an individual's social,
economic and demographic characteristics and the
individual's participation in the arts?
5. What effect does family background have on particip-
ation in the arts?
6. Are there patterns of non-arts activities which are
associated with arts activities?
7. What are the extent and nature of unsatisfied demand
for arts activities individually and as a whole?
8. What reasons do those who say they would like to attend
arts activities more often give for not doing so?
9. How is amateur participation related to attendance?
10. How does formal instruction and training in the arts
and early exposure while growing up affect later
participation?
of results across surveys, with some
SPPA questions were incorporated into the Census Bureau's on-going study
of a randomly selected subset of U.S. households. All adults aged 18 and
over in the selected households were eligible to be included in the survey.
In 1982 and 1985, about 75% of all interviews were conducted face-to-face
in the respondents' homes, with the remainder interviewed by telephone.6
In 1992, about 80% of all interviews were conducted by telephone. Sample
sizes were 17,254 (1982), 13,675 (1985), and 12,736 (1992), allowing for a
6The Census Bureau states that no effective differences have generally been found between in-home interviews and
telephone interviews for panel studies where pre-selected respondents have agreed to be interviewed. Results from the
1992 SPPA appear to support this claim.
9.
Survey Excerpt
Q. Some people have made the follow-
ing statements. For each one I read,
tell me if you strongly agree, somewhat
agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly
disagree. [ROTATE ORDER]
A. I would go to arts and cultural
events more often if it cost less to
attend.
B. It is important to learn about the
art and culture of people from
different backgrounds.
C. I am primarily interested in the art
and culture of my own ancestors.
D. I like to attend lots of different
types of arts and cultural programs.
E. I attend cultural activities to teach
my children about their cultural
heritage and traditions.
F. Arts and cultural activities are only
for the wealthy.
high level of precision in survey results (e.g., sampling error
rates of less than 1% for much of the data).
Generally, each of the three surveys were similar in design,
with minor changes made to clarify or re-focus certain topics
and individual questions. With such large samples, certain
questions were asked on a rotating basis to a subset of respon-
dents, generating a broad range of data on topics related to
arts participation including: arts participation via broadcast
and recorded media, other cultural and leisure activities,
socialization into the arts, interest in attending more often,
and music preferences.
A substantial volume of research work has been published as
a result of the SPPA surveys, including general reports and
research notes on each of the three surveys and numerous
monographs examining special topics in some depth. (A bibliography on
public participation in the arts is included in the appendix.) In connection
with the 1992 SPPA, the Arts Endowment commissioned these special
reports:
II Age Factors in Arts Participation. Richard A. Peterson and Darren E.
Sherkat
II American Participation in Dance. Jack Faucett Associates
II American Participation in Theatre. AMS Planning & Research Corp.
II Americans' Personal Participation in the Arts. Monnie Peters and Joni
Maya Cherbo
. . Arts Participation and Race/Ethnicity. Jeffrey Love and Bramble C.
Klipple
II Arts Participation bv the Baby Boomers. Judith Huggins Balfe and Rolf
Meyersohn
Cross-Over Patterns in Arts Participation. Richard J. Orend and Carol
Keegan
Effects of Education and Arts Education on Americans' Participation in
the Arts. Louis Bergonzi and Julia Smith
Hold the Funeral March: The State of Classical Music Appreciation in
the U.S.. Nicholas Zill
X Jazz in America: Who's Listening?. Scott DeVeaux
8 Patterns of Multiple Arts Participation. Jeffrey Love
M Reading in the 1990s: Turning a Page or Closing the Books?. Nicholas
Zill
Socialization in the Arts - 1992. Richard J. Orend and Carol Keegan
Tuning In and Turning On: Public Participation in the Arts via Media in
the United States. Charles M. Gray
The Arts Endowment continues to evaluate its research programs and
refine the content and methodologies of survey efforts. In her 1990 plan-
ning report, Public Participation in the Arts: A Review of Data Sources and
Data Needs. Constance F. Citro makes a strong case for continued govern-
ment-sponsored arts participation research, and identifies emerging
research issues, including:
What has been the impact of changes in government spending for the
arts on public participation?
What has been the impact of admission fees and higher ticket prices that
many museums and performing arts groups have had to adopt to cope
with financial stresses?
What has been the impact of the alarming decline in the quality of
American primary and secondary education on arts participation?
Local Area Arts Participation Studies
As the quality of nationwide research on public participation in the arts
increased, so did interest in arts participation at the local level. Since their
focus was primarily national, the SPPA surveys were not designed to yield
state or local level estimates of arts participation. Local arts administra-
tors, seeking to understand arts participation patterns in their own com-
munities, formed research projects based largely on the national surveys,
but adapted to local situations. Several examples, illustrating a range of
local studies, are described here. Experience gained through these efforts
contributed greatly to this guide.
/w1?.,
Survey Excerpt
Q. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is not
at all important and 5 is verv
important, tell me how important each
of the following are, in terms of their
contribution to your quality of life?
[READ - DO NOT ROTATE - REPEAT
SCALE AS NECESSARY]
1
■si
§
Quality public schools
1 2
3
4 5
Professional sports
1 2
3
4 5
A professional
orchestra
1 2
3
4 5
Parks and recreational
activities
1 2
3
4 5
Touring Broadway
productions
1 2
3
4 5
Museums and galleries
1 2
3
4 5
A professional theatre
company
1 2
3
4 5
1. Cultural Participation in the Philadelphia Area, commis-
sioned by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance through
the William Penn Foundation, 1984.
The primary purpose of this research effort was to assist local
arts administrators in audience development. A research advi-
sory committee, including staff members from many of
Philadelphia's cultural institutions, provided input into sur-
vey design and the analysis of results. The survey instrument
was divided into two parts; a number of arts participation
questions borrowed from the 1982 national SPPA, and other
questions addressing issues of local interest. A total of 404
interviews were completed by telephone using a random sam-
pling method.
Results were compared to data from the 1982 national SPPA,
including an analysis of Philadelphia area arts participation
rates across the two studies (generally, participation rates
were within one or two percentage points). Other data related
to barriers to increased attendance, sources of information about arts pro-
grams, factors influencing future attendance, audience potential during the
summer months, and the ticket purchase decision process.
2. Marketing the Arts in Cleveland: An In-Depth Survey, commissioned by
the Cleveland Foundation, 1985.
An example of collaborative research, nineteen cultural organizations par-
ticipated in this study conducted by Ziff Marketing Inc. and Clark, Martire
& Bartolomeo, Inc., both of New York. The research addressed issues relat-
ing to cultural development in the Cleveland area, including:
II How big is the area arts audience, currently and potentially?
II What factors operate in the decision to use or not use the area's cultural
resources?
What marketing approaches might prove most effective in capturing a
larger audience?
A total of 3,050 interviews were conducted by telephone with heavy, light,
and non-users of each participating institution, as well as 300 interviews
with area adults who never attend the arts. Survey topics included interest
in the arts, leisure values, factors impacting the decision to attend, cross-
institutional use, background factors affecting arts participation, and tick-
et pricing. Participating organizations were given the opportunity to add
questions to the surveys administered to their own constituents, and there-
by receive additional, confidential data.
Researchers described a large "interest gap" between actual attendance
rates and expressed interest in an artistic discipline. For example, among
those who were 'Very interested" in musical theatre, less than half actually
attend. The study also concluded that cross-institutional use was common,
and that cooperative marketing efforts would be advantageous to both con-
sumers and arts institutions.
3. 12 Local Studies of Public Participation in the Arts. National
Endowment for the Arts, 1992.
To complement the 1992 SPPA, the Arts Endowment organized and co-
sponsored a series of 12 local area arts participation surveys (LAAPS) in
partnership with sponsors in each area. Survey sites ranged from Sedona,
Arizona (1990 population 15,500) to metropolitan Chicago (1990 population
7.26 million). The local surveys were undertaken to build a better under-
standing of variations in arts participation patterns between different com-
munities and to provide local sponsors with valuable information about
their areas. Each local survey consisted of three components:
a "Core Questionnaire", common to all 12 sites, including arts
participation and demographic information identical to the 1992
nationwide SPPA
1 a set of questions, common to all sites but not included in the 1992
national SPPA, concerning facilities where arts participation occurred,
reasons for not attending more often, and sources of information about
arts events
II community-specific modules, developed by the local partners to address
specific information needs in each community
'W*...
The surveys were conducted by telephone over a three month period from
February to May 1992. To add context to survey results, additional
research was conducted to assess the availability of arts programs and
facilities in each local area. A summary report related arts participation
patterns to the supply of local arts programs and facilities.7
Much was learned from the 12 Local Studies, both in terms of the knowl-
edge gained through research results, and the experience gained through
conducting 12 arts participation studies for 12 different sponsors in 12 dif-
ferent areas. While survey results from the 12 Local Studies could not be
compared directly with SPPA results (because of methodological differ-
ences), comparisons across the 12 sites revealed some of the dynamic
forces - such as arts facility development, demographic shifts, and local
cultural traditions - that shape arts participation patterns at the local
level. Attempting to understand the local conditions surrounding arts par-
ticipation levels may eventually lead to a transfer of arts development
strategies between cities.
4. Dane County Arts Study, commissioned by the Madison (WI)
Community Foundation, 1992.
In an effort to increase public support of the arts in Dane County,
Wisconsin, a community arts task force was convened by the Madison
Community Foundation to solicit input on a research effort. Designed pri-
marily for advocacy and audience development purposes, the study includ-
ed two components, a series of five focus groups, and a general population
survey of 400 Dane County residents. Research was conducted by Gene
Kroupa & Associates, a Madison-based research and consulting firm.
Survey topics included unaided awareness levels of local arts groups, inter-
est and participation in the arts, importance of the arts, cultural tourism,
and barriers to increased participation. The survey also tested the likeli-
hood that various marketing offers (e.g., discounts, cross-institution ticket
packages, an arts "hotline") would increase attendance. Illustrating how
multiple research methods can work together, data collected through focus
7Summarv Report: 12 Local Studies of Public Participation in the Arts. Research Division Report #26, National
Endowment for the Arts, prepared by AMS Planning & Research Corp., 1993.
group discussions helped shape the content of the survey.
Numerous other local area studies have explored aspects of
arts participation. The most common examples are surveys
conducted in connection with cultural planning efforts and
the development of new arts facilities. A bibliography in the
appendix lists selected local studies and their sponsors.
Other Arts Participation Studies
1. Americans and the Arts I-VI. commissioned by the
American Council for the Arts and sponsored by Philip Morris
Companies Inc.; research directed by Louis Harris, 1973-1992
Starting in 1973, this well-publicized series of arts participa-
tion surveys has been used primarily for advocacy purposes
by the American Council for the Arts. The most recent study,
completed in 1992, involved a random sample of 1,500 U.S.
households. All interviews were conducted by telephone.
Survey topics included:
Survey Excerpt
Q. Let's start by talking about how
you spend your free time. I'm going to
read a list of activities that some peo-
ple enjoy. Tell me if you are very
likely, somewhat likely, somewhat
unlikely, or very unlikely
to... [READ AND ROTATE,
REPEAT SCALE AS
NECESSARY]
~s
&
-*» *-»
eg a
a a
© o
C/j CO
II attitudes about the importance of the arts, and arts-in-
education
Wk personal participation in the arts through painting, writing, etc.
8 attendance at various types of arts activities
arts participation through broadcast and recorded media, and related issues
reasons for not attending more often
Take art classes, dance,
or music lessons
|
I
Attend sporting events 12 3 4
Read books for pleasure 12 3 4
Visit an amusement or 12 3 4
theme park
Visit museums or galleries 12 3 4
Participate in church or 12 3 4
religious activities
Exercise or play sports 12 3 4
Attend live performances 12 3 4
of music, dance, or theatre
Do volunteer or charity 12 3 4
work
Do home improvement 12 3 4
activities
12 3 4
In contrast to the SPPA studies sponsored by the Arts Endowment, and in
keeping with their advocacy focus, the Harris studies probed attitudes,
opinions, and perceptions about the arts, artists, and arts-in-education
more extensively, and were less concerned with consistency and objectivity
in questionnaire wording and measuring trends. Generally, differences in
methodologies prevent direct comparison of results from the Harris
surveys with SPPA data.8
8Copies of Americans and the Arts VI. including the survey form, tables, and survey methodology, may be obtained through
ACA Books, American Council for the Arts, 1 East 53rd St., New York, NY 10022-4201, telephone (212) 223-2787.
2. Canadian Arts Consumer Profile. 1990-1991. commissioned by
Communications Canada (a consortium of cultural ministries in all ten
Canadian provinces plus the cities of Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto),
research conducted by Decima Research and Les Consultants Cultur'inc.
The Canadian Arts Consumer Profile constitutes the first nationwide study
of arts participation in Canada. Through a series of self-administered mail
questionnaires and telephone surveys, both existing audiences and the gen-
eral public were studied, encompassing both audience research and arts
participation research as defined in this guide.9 A total of six different sur-
veys were administered for this study; four audience surveys and two gener-
al population surveys (sample sizes in parentheses):
Audience Surveys
Survey Excerpt
Q. If there was a central telephone
number that you could call 24-hours a
day to find out about upcoming arts
and cultural events, would you be
[READ LIST] to use
such a service.
II Festivals Short Questionnaire - a self-administered form distributed to
audiences at festival events throughout Canada (N=5,650)
II Performing Arts Short Questionnaire - a self-administered
form distributed to audiences at music, dance, and theatre
performances of all types (N=33,930)
II Performing Arts Long Questionnaire - a self-administered
form mailed to performing arts attenders (N=7,412)
III Visual Arts Long Questionnaire - a self-administered form
mailed to lists provided by galleries, artist-run centres and
individual artists (N=l,672)
Very likely 1
Somewhat likely 2
Not very likely 3
Not at all likely 4
Q. If this telephone call was to a 900
number that cost $1.00 to make and
was charged to your telephone bill,
would you be [READ
LIST] to use such a service?
Equally likely 1
Somewhat less likely 2
Much less likely 3
Arts Participation Surveys
II General Public Telephone Questionnaire - a seven-minute
survey of randomly-selected Canadian households (N=ll,106)
■ General Public Long Questionnaire - a self-administered
form mailed to randomly-selected households (N=5,457)
In total, over 65,000 completed surveys were analyzed. Survey
design involved extensive consultation with arts professionals
9For information about obtaining a copy of Findings: Canadian Arts Consumer Profile. 1990-1991. contact the Director
General, Arts Policy Cultural Development and Heritage, Department of Canadian Heritage, 365 Laurier St., 16th Floor,
Journal Tower South, Ottawa, Ontario K1AOC8, telephone (613) 991-5727.
o
as well as focus groups with arts marketing experts. Each questionnaire
was tested first in focus groups and subsequently on a small sample of eli-
gible respondents. In terms of content, the arts participation surveys
included a broad range of questions concerning leisure activities, perform-
ing arts attendance, general attitudes and opinions about the arts (used to
develop psychographic typologies), opinions on accessibility and ticket-pric-
ing, young audiences and childhood experiences, the visual arts, media
coverage, and demographics. Use of the self-administered mail survey - in
addition to the shorter telephone survey - allowed researchers to probe
survey topics in substantial depth.
The nature, scope, and research methods of the Canadian Arts Consumer
Profile study were significantly different from the Arts Endowment-spon-
sored Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts, although some survey
topics were similar, including frequency of arts attendance and childhood
experiences in the arts. Given its breadth in terms of content and the fact
that both audiences and the general public were studied, the Canadian
study is an excellent resource for local arts administrators in conceptualiz-
ing their own audience and arts participation studies.
Future Research Issues
The more we learn about arts participation, the more we discover remains
to be learned. As studies accumulate and our collective understanding of
the arts public evolves, the demographic, lifestyle, and cultural forces that
shape arts participation in our society seem to change even more rapidly.
In such a dynamic research environment, constant evaluation of research
priorities, goals and objectives is necessary to regenerate momentum cre-
ated by past efforts. A December 1992 conference sponsored by the Arts
Endowment created an opportunity to reflect on several decades of arts
participation research, to share the value of existing data, and to brain-
storm future issues and directions for arts participation research.
Attended by researchers, educators, funders, and arts managers, the confer-
ence brought together a wide range of viewpoints about the purpose and di-
rection of arts participation research.10 A number of over-riding ideas emerged:
10For a summary of conference proceedings, read Research on Public Participation in the Arts: Summary Report on the
December 1992 Conference, available through the Research Division of the National Endowment for the Arts.
/w*
II More detailed data is needed to investigate the arts participation
patterns of different demographic, geographic, lifestyle, and life-cycle
groups.
III Definitions of arts activities (e.g., "classical music") are subject to
interpretation by survey respondents; more information needs to be
obtained on how the public defines arts participation, and the number of
categories of participation needs to be broadened in future research
efforts.
II There appears to be a shift of focus away from factors that prevent
participation (i.e., barriers) to factors that cause (or lead to)
participation.
II More information is needed about the cultural identity of respondents,
including multi-cultural households, languages spoken, family
immigration history, and self-defined cultural identity independent of
race or nationality.
More information about television as an arts participation medium is
needed. Are cultural programs on TV displacing or supplementing live
performances?
II A common call was made for more research at the local level, allowing for
investigation of arts participation patterns within a specific area with
known facilities, programs and cultural traditions.
Synthesis of these and other ideas shared during the conference suggests
that future research of a more exploratory nature using qualitative meth-
ods would complement existing survey efforts such as the SPPA. Arts man-
agers continue to demand better information about consumers, calling for
more application-oriented research particularly with respect to how deci-
sions are made to attend arts activities. Finally, it was agreed that more
local area studies using a combination of quantitative and qualitative mea-
sures would add substantial context to the broad, nationwide patterns
observed through previous arts participation surveys.
30
Section ill
he Anatomy of an Arts
Participation Study
liat constitutes a successful arts participation study? How much
time, money, and other resources should be allocated? Where do
the critical decisions come throughout the research process?
Where can a research effort go awry and how can costly mistakes be avoid-
ed? This section begins to answer these and other process-related questions.
Unlike audience surveys which can be standardized in design and imple-
mentation, arts participation surveys have much broader applications and
numerous different approaches. Since every arts participation survey is
unique in design and purpose, there are no easy instructions to follow; no
single prescription for a painless project. There are, however, numerous
past studies from which to learn. Generally-accepted research methods
should guide research design, and commonly-used survey questions can be
borrowed or adapted.
You do not need a graduate degree in market research or statistics to over-
see a successful research effort. Professional researchers can guide you
through the technical aspects of research design, data collection, and sta-
tistical analysis. You should, however, be familiar with the vocabulary of
market research in order to communicate effectively with your research
team. Some of the basic concepts behind survey research are covered in
this section. For a more thorough understanding of the theory behind mar-
ket research, consult an appropriate textbook.11 Use this guide to learn
how to structure and manage a research process - from planning and
design to data collection and implementation of results - and to under-
stand your options along the way.
nOne excellent resource is State of the Art Marketing Research by A.B. Blankenship and George Edward Breen, copy-
right 1993 by NTC Business Books; available through the American Marketing Association, 250 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago,
niinois 60606.
RESEARCH PLANNING
Benefit from the experience of others. Find out about previous arts-
related research undertaken in your community or region. You may be sur-
prised to learn about existing audience or arts participation studies. Con-
tact your state arts agency to see what research might be available at the
statewide level. Review copies of old questionnaires and research reports.
What ideas can be borrowed? What would you do differently? You may dis-
cover "baseline" data against which you can compare your own results.
A short telephone conversation with a colleague who has conducted a compa-
rable research effort could save you hours of time and thousands of dollars.
Representatives of national service organizations, including the Arts Endow-
ment, may also be of assistance. Finally, professional consultants or re-
searchers may be able to refer you to comparable efforts. The time that you
invest in learning about other research efforts should pay off handsomely.
Create a case statement for your research project. Why are you con-
ducting an arts participation survey? What do you hope to accomplish?
How will you use the results? Articulating the purpose and goals of a
research effort is an essential and often difficult first step. Before you
assemble a research team and before you seek funding or allocate
resources, draft a short research statement that can be circulated for
review and comment. Make sure you:
II outline your reasons for initiating a study and how it is consistent with
your organizational mission to do so
II spell out the questions you hope to answer, or the hypotheses you wish
to test
II state the importance of the information to be generated
II list who will benefit from the findings
III establish the basis for interpreting and acting on survey results
Essentially, create a project case statement that can be used to muster
support, involvement, and funding. Later in the research process, if, for
example, the first draft of your questionnaire is too lengthy, return to the
case statement for clarity and direction. The document can also serve as
32
the foundation for a Request for Proposals ("RFP") if you plan
to solicit bids from professional consultants or researchers.
Start a participative process immediately. If you envision
a collaborative research effort, contact each of the potential
research partners and seek their input on the case statement.
If your research effort does not involve other organizations,
circulate your case statement in draft form to board/advisory
committee members and to senior staff for their review and
comment, or form a research review panel to provide input
throughout your project. Generally, the more input you get,
the better your chances for support later in the project. For
example, if you hope to use survey results for advocacy pur-
poses, publicizing results will be important. Identify and con-
tact media representatives in your area who might get
involved in your project.
Estimate the resources you'll need. Do you have the time,
money, technical skills, and other resources to successfully
complete an arts participation study?
H Time - What is an appropriate time frame for your study?
Are results needed before an election? Is your study part of a
larger planning process with a timetable? When will the announcement of
survey results have greatest impact? A short telephone survey can take as
little as three weeks to design, administer, and analyze (see inset). When
the timeliness of data is essential, such an approach can be rewarding. For
a more involved research project, a typical time frame might be three to six
months or longer.
"Spot Survey"
In early 1994, the Director of a
large performing arts center
was nearing a deadline for
programming commitments
for the following season. Sales
for the center's jazz presenta-
tions had been unpredictable
over the past few years, and
future jazz programming was
in question.
A short telephone survey was
designed to collect data on
preferences for types of jazz,
attendance at other programs,
sources of information about
jazz programs, etc. A total of
100 known attenders and 100
non-attenders were sampled.
Results were available two
weeks after survey design was
completed, and helped man-
agement make last minute
adjustments to program plans
and promotional strategies.
I Money - A number of factors impact the amount of money needed to finance
an arts participation survey. Key cost factors are: number of completed inter-
views, survey length (number of data elements), sample design (especially
respondent eligibility requirements), and of course, the extent of professional
assistance needed. Thus, cost figures vary widely from project to project.12
12One excellent resource on holding down the price is Cheap But Good Marketing Research by Alan Andreason, published
by Business One Irwin, Homewood, Illinois 60430.
t.jt..
The cost of data collection is only part of the total project expense. How
much assistance is needed with research design? Analysis and reporting?
Should you plan a facilitated workshop at the end of the project to discuss
survey results and "next steps?" Too often, after many thousands of dollars
are spent collecting data, results are underutilized for lack of resources or
commitment to research interpretation and follow-up.
II Technical Skills - What technical skills can you bring to the table, and
what research expertise needs to be brought in? Be realistic - the level of
professional help you need weighs in the balance. To some extent, project
costs can be lowered if in-house people are knowledgeable about survey
research. For example, if a staff or board member has experience with sta-
tistical analysis, it may be unnecessary to pay a professional for data
analysis and reporting. Assess your options for technical assistance in light
of quality standards and available resources.
II Other Resources - The amount of staff time needed to oversee an arts
participation study should not be under-estimated, particularly in the early
stages of research planning and design. Time consuming tasks can include
selecting consultants, seeking project underwriting, organizing research
committee meetings, and other process-related work. Consider carefully
how this work load might impact your organization.
The most important investment you can make in a successful arts partici-
pation study is an investment of time and thought in planning. By develop-
ing a case statement, learning about previous studies, initiating a
participative process, and by understanding the resources needed for a suc-
cessful study, your research effort will be off to a healthy start.
Seeking Professional Assistance
"Surveying an entire community . . . presents enormous diffi-
culties for most arts organizations. In fact, we would strongly
urge most arts organizations not to undertake community
surveys on their own." - Surveying Your Arts Audience. Arts
Endowment Research Division Manual, 1985
*.$
Given the technical complexities of survey design, random
sampling, and statistical analysis, it is recommended that
some level of professional assistance be secured for all arts
participation studies. The primary reasons for working with
professionals include: credibility - involving outside
researchers brings an element of objectivity to the study;
expertise - knowledgeable researchers can help you avoid
common mistakes in survey design and data collection; speed
- experienced professionals can fast-forward you through dif-
ferent parts of the study depending on your time frame; and context - arts
industry consultants can help put your survey results in context with
industry trends and other comparable data.
Ill
Survey Excerpt
Q. Typically, how far in advance do
you purchase tickets to performing
arts programs in your area? [READ
EACH]
A month or more ahead of time 4
Several weeks in advance 3
The week of the performance 2
The day of the performance 1
Working with professionals isn't always easy. Too often, organizations hire
researchers, receive reports, and never follow through on results.
Consultants who take over a research project completely are not doing you
a service; they should keep you informed every step of the way and seek
input on all important decisions. Conversely, clients must be prepared to
spend time with their consultants and feed them the information they need
to do their job. Frequent communication from both sides is central to a suc-
cessful client/consultant relationship.
Levels of Assistance
Before selecting a consultant or professional team, decide what level of
assistance youll need. For arts participation surveys, outside assistance
may be obtained in four general areas:
1. research design (including survey and sample design)
2. data collection (interviewing), coding, and entry
3. data analysis and reporting
4. interpretation of results and follow-up
Depending on your research needs and project budget, you can hire one
consultant to lead you through the entire study or break up the tasks
between paid professionals, staff and volunteers. Mamtaining consistency
of oversight throughout the project is beneficial. However, if funds are not
t.j> *..
available, it may be possible to engage consultants in a limited capacity to
"point you in the right direction," to train volunteer interviewers, or to
review your efforts at critical points.
Sources for Professional Assistance with Arts Participation Research
II Arts Consultants - A number of specialized consulting firms work exclu-
sively or almost exclusively in the arts industry in the areas of marketing
research, facility development, cultural planning, etc., and are highly qual-
ified to provide a range of services in connection with an arts participation
study. Services range from one-day workshops to multi-year projects includ-
ing surveys, focus groups, and follow-up work. Contact a national service
organization such as the National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies (NALAA)
or the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) for a list of con-
sultants. A list of service organizations may be found in the appendix.
Depending on the nature and purpose of the study, arts consultants may
affiliate with other professionals to create a specialized research team. For
example, a team led by arts consultants may also include a research field
house (to collect data) and a marketing consultant (to develop creative
strategies based on survey results).
II Colleges and Universities - Arts organizations located near colleges or
universities can draw on the expertise of faculty members and/or gradu-
ate teaching assistants with experience in survey research. Business
schools offering coursework in market research may be a resource, as well
as sociology departments in larger institutions. Faculty members may be
available as free-lance consultants, or students may be assigned to work
on an arts participation survey as a class project. For example, the
Center for User Surveys at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor pro-
vides low-cost assistance to local arts groups in conducting surveys. The
Heinz School of Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University requires
graduate students in arts management to work with Pittsburgh arts
groups on a variety of projects including research. While collaborating
with academics can be a cost-saving alternative to professional consul-
tants, working within the school calendar may not be ideal, and the inter-
pretation of data may be lacking in a broader, arts industry context.
M Local Marketing Firms - Advertising agencies or public relations firms
based in your area also represent a resource for professional assistance
with arts participation research. Such firms may offer in-house research
services to their own clients or may have connections with outside
research firms. Marketing execu-
tives are often well-versed in the
technical aspects of research, and
can offer valuable advice, particu-
larly in translating survey results
into creative marketing strategies.
For this reason, professional mar-
keters are well-placed on research
committees.
% Research Firms - Local or nation-
al research firms (companies which
specialize in market research) can
assist with all or part of an arts par-
ticipation survey. These firms may
be contracted to advise on survey
and sample design, to conduct tele-
phone interviews, to code and enter data in a statistical computer pro-
gram, and to provide initial tabulations. Other professionals with arts
industry experience may be engaged to conduct further analyses of the
data.13
Computer assisted
Telephone interviewing
(cati) helps control the
interview process.
Selecting Consultants
Public arts agencies often require a competitive selection process involving
issuance of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) or Proposals (RFP), appoint-
ment of a consultant selection committee, and a formal evaluation process.
Although a competitive selection process can be cumbersome and time con-
suming, it is sometimes worthwhile - even when a formal process isn't
required - to obtain proposals from multiple sources, at least to see how
13For a list of research vendors, consult your local Yellow Pages telephone directory under "Market Research & Analysis"
or "Marketing Consultants." The American Marketing Association's New York chapter publishes The Green Book, a
national directory of marketing research companies and services, updated annually, at a cost of approximately $100. To
order a copy, write AMA, 60 East 42nd St., Suite 1765, New York, NY 10165, telephone (212) 687-3280.
different consultants approach your study and to get a sense of value for
the various services proposed. For city-sponsored arts agencies or commis-
sions, consultant selection may be handled through the city purchasing
department according to established procedures. For private, non-profit
agencies, a structured but less formal RFQ or RFP process may be
appropriate.14
Issuing an RFP - A Request for Proposals is an invitation for interested
professionals to prepare proposals - including a proposed scope of services
and usually, but not always, a fee estimate for your project. In broad terms,
an RFP should include:
1. the goals of the study, including key issues and how the results will
be used
2. a situation description, including some history on how the project
evolved to date and who is involved
3. a description of the work to be performed, stated as specifically as
possible, including reporting requirements and materials to be delivered
4. what sort of a research team is envisioned, including professionals and
volunteers (if any)
5. the project time frame and any interim deadlines
6. a description of how proposals will be evaluated
7. a deadline for responding to the RFP
8. a request for references (usually three)
9. an approximate project budget or fee range (optional)
Generally, proposals will be more relevant if you are able to provide defini-
tive information about your project. Consultants and other professionals
invest a great deal of time responding to RFPs. Although you are under no
obligation to accept any of the proposals received (and should state so in
the RFP), an RFP should not be issued unless funding has been approved
for professional assistance.
14For more information about selecting consultants, read How to Find and Work with Consultants (Or Minding Your
RFPs and Qs) by Dr. Michael C. Hardy, Association of Performing Arts Presenters 1988 national conference proceedings;
also refer to Laying a Firm Foundation by Robert Bailey and Steven Wolff, Inside Arts, July 1993, both available through
Arts Presenters, 1112 16th St., N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC, 20036, telephone (202) 833-2787.
o.Jt.
M Issuing an RFQ - A Request for Qualifications
(alternatively referred to as a Request for
Quotations or a Request for Letters of Interest) is
an abbreviated RFP inviting interested profes-
sionals to submit their qualifications and
demonstrate an interest in the project.15
Generally, RFQ's are used for smaller projects for
which a less formal selection process is appropri-
ate. In some cases a consultant is selected follow-
ing review of RFQ submissions, and in other
cases the selection process moves on to a full-
blown RFP.
If Evaluating Proposals - Established criteria
should guide the consultant selection process. For
example, when the National Endowment for the
Arts issued an RFP for the analysis of survey
data from the 1992 Survey of Public Participation
in the Arts, established "evaluation factors" were
included in the RFP (see inset). In less formal sit-
uations, compare proposals along these general parameters:
1. Does the proposal demonstrate an understanding of your research goals?
To what extent does the proposed scope of services address your specific
needs? Does the proposal demonstrate knowledge and experience with
research of this nature?
2. How many different people would be assigned to work on your project?
What are their qualifications, and have they worked together before? Who
would be in charge? Who would actually do the work? What have refer-
ences said about these people?
3. How does the proposed fee relate to the proposed scope of services? What
other expenses are involved? Large differences in fee quotes should be
Evaluation Factors
for Award
1. Technical Evaluation Criteria
(45% - degree to which the proposal demon-
strates knowledge and experience with
research methods, data analysis, etc.; degree
to which proposal demonstrates knowledge
of and experience with arts participation or
leisure activity research)
2. Management Evaluation Criteria
(40% - qualifications and availability of pro-
ject personnel; management controls to
insure appropriate coordination and timely
completion)
3. Price
(15% - is the proposed fee within a competi-
tive range?)
Source: National Endowment for the Arts; adapted from
RFP 92-01.
15In order to streamline the procurement of professional services, the National Endowment for the Arts issues "Requests
for Quotations" (RFQs) for smaller research projects (up to $25,000) and RFPs for larger research projects (over $25,000).
investigated carefully. Are they due to different approaches, assignment of
senior vs. junior-level personnel, or different anticipated levels of effort?
Are the proposed fees too high, or do you need to raise more money to
accomplish your objectives?
Experience has shown that the consultant selection process, whenever pos-
sible, should involve the people who will work most closely with the consul-
tants, as well as those who will be most critical of the work to be done.
II Contracting - After a consultant has been selected, the scope of services
should be finalized, and a contract should be drawn up specifying the
terms and conditions of the consulting arrangement. The contract may be
initiated by either party.
METHODS OF COLLECTING ARTS
PARTICIPATION DATA
In practice, the "general population survey" is most commonly used for col-
lecting arts participation data, and is the focus of this section. Other
research methods - such as panels, secondary data analysis, focus group
interviews, and observation studies
Tracking Leisure Trends
Arts participation is one of many types of leisure activi-
ties. One company called Leisure Trends, Inc. of
Glastonbury (CT), in conjunction with the Gallup
Organization, uses telephone interviewing to collect time
series data on leisure activities.
Unlike some arts participation studies which ask respon-
dents to recall the number of times they attended arts
programs over the past year (or month), Leisure Trends
randomly interviews a limited number of adults each
night, and asks how they used their leisure time the day
before.
Over time, results are used to track changes in
Americans' use of leisure time and related subjects.
- are used less frequently in arts
participation research, although
interest in alternative methods is
growing (see inset). The impact of
lifestyle factors on arts attendance,
for example, is difficult to measure
using survey research exclusively.
For this reason, larger studies often
employ multiple research methods,
especially when qualitative infor-
mation is needed. Based on your
research goals, consultants can
advise you on the best overall
approach for your study.
Survey Data Collection Methods for
Arts Participation research
In-Person Interviews
Telephone Interviews
Mail Surveys
§
£
o
CO
Q
CO
O
Respondents are
interviewed in their homes, j
Respondents are called at
home and interviewed over
the phone.
Respondents receive a print-
ed questionnaire in the mail
and are asked to complete the
form and return it by mail.
CO
i
CO
a
o
CO
CO
fee
>
3
CO
a
o
•Pi
In-home interviews can be
cost-prohibitive since they
require more time and
personnel costs than other
data collection methods.
Response rates for in-home
interviews are generally
high. This is the major
attraction of in-home
interviews.
A great deal of high
quality data can be
collected during in-person
interviews.
The labor intensive nature
of telephone interviewing
makes it relatively more
expensive than other
methods; difficult to use
volunteers.
Generally high response
rates, although there is
increasing resentment of
telephone research and a
general trend towards rising
refusal rates.
High amount of control is
possible - interviewer can
probe responses, clarify
questions, etc.; sequence of
questioning can be complex;
studies can be completed
quickly.
Costs include printing,
postage and mailing,
incentives (if any), as well as
data coding and entry. Lower
cost per survey, although
cost per response may
approach telephone surveys.
Mail surveys initially may
yield only 20% to 30%
response rates, which can be
increased with follow-up
measures and use of
incentives.
Surveys can be completed at
respondents' leisure; time for
more thoughtful response; no
theoretical limit on survey
length.
Respondents are more
likely to provide "socially
acceptable" (biased)
responses when interviews
are conducted in person.
Interviewers must be highly | There is no control over the
trained; limited interview
length; potential for sample
bias is high (e.g., unlisted
numbers, not-at-home, etc.).
respondent-response time,
the order in which questions
are answered, or even if the
addressee is the person
responding.
Survey data may be collected in person, by telephone, or by mail. Each
method has advantages, disadvantages, and different cost ramifications.
The table on the previous page summarizes these three methods of collect-
ing survey data. The 1982 and 1985 Surveys of Public Participation in the
Arts (SPPAs) were administered primarily in person (sample sizes of
17,254 and 13,675, respectively), whereas the 1992 SPPA was conducted
primarily by telephone. All of the 12 Local Surveys (1992) were conducted
by telephone.
Other methods of collecting survey data include panels (pre-arranged
groups of respondents who answer questions on a continuing basis),
omnibus studies (ongoing studies in which a buyer can ask proprietary
questions in the study), and completely self-administered surveys, where
forms are distributed on an ad hoc basis and completed by respondents at
their own initiative.
Telephone interviewing has become the predominant method of collecting
arts participation data, both nationally and locally, for a number of
reasons. Researchers have developed very sophisticated methods of ran-
domly selecting telephone numbers to call. One procedure, called "random
digit dialing," ensures that both listed and unlisted telephone numbers are
sampled.
Also, with arts participation research, control over the sequence of ques-
tioning is important, as well as establishing the eligibility of a respondent
within a given household (e.g., adult age 18+ with most recent birthday).
Telephone interviewing allows for tight control of who responds to the
survey.16
Despite its popularity, telephone interviewing has become increasingly
problematic for researchers, evidenced by rising refusal rates. One fre-
quently cited reason is the rise of telemarketing and the inability of many
people to distinguish between surveys and sales calls. Two-thirds of
16For a thorough review of different sampling procedures, read Survey Research Methods by Floyd J. Fowler, Jr., second
edition, 1993. An excellent resource for detailed information about telephone surveying is Telephone Survey Methods:
Sampling. Selection, and Supervision, by Paul J. Lavrakas, second edition, 1993. Both are available through SAGE
Publications, 2455 Teller Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, telephone (805) 499-9774.
42
respondents to a 1992 survey
believe that surveys and telemar-
keting are the same thing or "don't
know" if they are different.17
"Intentional deceptions committed
by some telemarketers may well
contribute to the confusion."
Further, the study concludes that
the ability to differentiate between
surveys and sales calls differs by
age, education, and income, with
refusal rates increasing with higher
education and income levels. The
implication for arts participation
research would be a downward bias
in participation rates, independent
of other sources of bias (see next
page). To offset this trend, inter-
viewers rely increasingly on a
strong survey introduction stating
the purpose of the call and identify-
ing the organization sponsoring the
survey.
The increased usage of telephone
answering machines poses another problem for researchers, according to
the same survey, with increasing numbers of people screening their calls.
The study found that answering machine ownership increases significantly
with higher income and education levels (66% ownership for those with
incomes over $75,000 vs. 20% for those with income under $10,000) - rep-
resenting another challenge to telephone researchers in obtaining a repre-
sentative sample.
Why people Talk to
pollsters
A survey of 1,006 randomly-selected adults conduct-
ed by the ICR survey research group identified eight
reasons why people participate in polls, typified by
the following phrases:
1. "I'm a nice person." About 25% of respondents
consider it rude to turn down a respectful request
for cooperation.
2. "Timing is everything." No other pressing time
commitments. (20%)
3. "I'm nosy." (15%)
4. "You have a lovely voice." (15%)
5. "It was a great opportunity to share information."
(11%)
6. "I didn't see any harm in it." (11%)
7. "The questions were so interesting." (11%)
8. "I've done this myself; I know what you're going
through." Empathy motivates about 10% of
respondents to cooperate.
Source: The reasons why people talk to pollsters, by Richard Morin, direc-
tor of polling for the Washington Post.
17"
Rising Refusal Rates: The Impact of Telemarketing," by Todd Remington, Quirks Marketing Research Review. May 1992.
Response Rates and Bias
Reliability of data is crucial to the success of an arts participation study.
The best thought-out questions and the most high-powered analyses are
meaningless without reliable data. Two related concepts impact the
reliability of data collected through telephone surveys: response rates
and potential sources of bias. Both are discussed below. As part of the
research design process, the sponsoring organization should set clear
expectations for:
II acceptable response rates - at what point will you reject the data?
what follow-up methods will be used to increase response rates - how
many return calls will be made? can respondents reschedule interviews
at their convenience?
II how the data will be tested for bias - in what way are respondents
different than non-respondents?
II how bias will be corrected - what statistical adjustments or
resurveying efforts will be made?
Understanding these concepts and setting high standards for your
researchers will increase the value of your data and establish the credibili-
ty of your research project. Conclusions based on unreliable data do not
add value to a decision-making process. Consider, for example, the long-
term problems resulting from over-built arts facilities based on faulty
research data.18
Response Rates for Telephone Surveys
Maximizing response rates is a critical task. In order to understand why,
consider the following illustration. A telephone survey of 500 randomly-
selected households yields 400 completed interviews - a response rate of
80%. An identical survey of 1,200 households yields 480 completed inter-
views - a response rate of 40%. All other things being equal, which data
set is more reliable?
18For an excellent and straightforward discussion on response rates, sample representativeness, and bias from refusals,
read Mail and Telephone Surveys: The Total Design Method, by Don A. Dillman, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,
1978 (ISBN 0-471-21555-4).
Illustration of response Rates
Total Calls 1,028 (124%)
DisconnecteoVnon-working # 34
Busy/no answer/machine 165
Answered Calls 829 (100%)
Non-residential # 69
Eligible respondent never available .... 52
Termination (language barrier) 8
Termination (refusal) 298
Completed Interviews 402 (49%)
Although the first sample is
smaller, it is more representa-
tive of the population being
surveyed. If you are successful
in completing interviews with
80% of selected households,
then your sample will be very
similar to the population as a
whole. Conversely, if only 40%
of a sample responds to the sur-
vey, the final sample may have
little in common with the popu-
lation being studied. As the
response rate declines, chances grow that the group of respondents will be
different than the group of non-respondents. In arts participation survey
data, for example, it is not unusual to find higher education levels among
respondents compared to the population being studied.19
The pathway to a completed telephone interview can be cut off in many
places. Professional researchers have established procedures for minimiz-
ing the number of incomplete interviews, although some factors are out-
side of their control. Many factors influence completion or "cooperation"
rates, including the survey subject matter, interview length, respondent
eligibility requirements, and even the geography being sampled. According
to Blankenship and Breen,
"It is generally accepted that for minimal dependability of
results, at least 50 percent to 60 percent of those designated
as potential respondents should end up being
questioned."2®
Other researchers set different response thresholds, some higher and some
lower. However, any researcher claiming that a 35% response rate for a
19For an illustration of this phenomenon, see Table 8 in the appendix of Summary Report: 12 Local Studies of Public
Participation in the Arts. Research Division Report #16, National Endowment for the Arts, 1993.
20State of the Art Marketing Research. A.B. Blankenship and George Edward Breen, 1993, published by NTC Business
Books in conjunction with the American Marketing Association.
general population survey is acceptable without qualification should be
highly suspect. To illustrate the range of outcomes from random telephone
sampling, consider the results from a 1993 local arts participation survey
(see inset from previous page).
Two different problems must be addressed to maximize response rates for
telephone surveys. The researcher must first gain access to the selected
individuals, and then enlist their cooperation. Several tactics may be used:
Make numerous calls, concentrating on evenings and weekends. Some
researchers make up to 10 calls to a household before giving up. There is
no substitute for persistence in reaching a targeted respondent.
Arrange for interviewers with flexible schedules who can make appoint-
ments at any time that is convenient to respondents.
Articulate the purpose of the research and convince the respondent that
their help is important.
Assure the confidentiality of responses.
Survey Excerpt
Q. How are you most likely to learn
about live performing arts programs
that are of interest to you? [RECORD
FIRST THREE ANSWERS]
[PROBE] Any other sources of infor-
mation about performing arts pro-
grams?
For the 1992 national Survey of Public Participation in the
Arts, less than 20% of all eligible respondents in selected
households could not be interviewed, yielding a completion
rate of over 80%. Approximately three-quarters of all inter-
views were conducted by telephone, with the balance conduct-
ed face-to-face in respondents' homes. Other factors
contributing to the high cooperation rate included the fact
that the survey was part of an omnibus panel study conducted
by the U.S. Census Bureau, meaning that pre-selected respondents had
previously agreed to participate in an on-going study.
In contrast, significantly lower response rates were achieved for the 12
Local Studies conducted the same year. In this case, all interviews were
conducted by telephone using random digit dialing. Response rates
ranged from a low of 40% (Dade County, FL) to a high of 52% (rural
Nevada). The gap between response rates for these national and local
studies illustrates the complex relationship between the approach to data
collection, sample design, and response rates.
Potential Sources of "Bias"
Along with the convenience of collecting data by telephone come a number
potential difficulties in achieving unbiased results. "Bias" can result from
sample design errors (e.g., a 'random' sampling technique that isn't really
random), or from procedural problems (e.g., interviewers who influence
responses, or a poorly-worded questionnaire). In data collected through
telephone interviews, some forms of bias are unavoidable, but can be cor-
rected through a statistical procedure known as weighting.
Arts administrators need not learn the involved concepts and technical jar-
gon associated with survey bias. However, an awareness of the most common
sources of bias will be helpful in communicating with your research team:
Non-Response Bias. For a variety of reasons, many interviews are never
completed. In addition to factors which are outside the control of either
party (e.g., busy signals, eligible respondent not at home, reaching a non-
residential number), potential interview subjects often refuse to take the
survey or terminate the interview prematurely. Three common causes of
non-response bias are:
II Simple Refusal - a respondent may be unable, unwilling, or too busy to
complete the call, regardless of the survey subject matter or persistence
of the interviewer.
II Self-Selection - occurs when a potential respondent decides to termi-
nate the call, perhaps because of a lack of interest in the survey subject
matter. With arts participation surveys, a higher cooperation rate from
actual arts participants may be experienced, compared to non-participants.
This type of non-response bias can be very difficult to avoid or to correct.
A carefully worded survey introduction can minimize this problem.21
& Termination Due to Language Barrier - Unless multi-lingual interviewers
are available, potential respondents may hang up due to a language
barrier. Survey results may then under-represent certain non-English
21Hebert Research Inc., a market research firm based in Bellevue, Washington, began a 1993 local arts participation sur-
vey with the following introduction: "Hello, my name is , and I'm a research assistant with an independent firm
working for the City of . We are conducting research about leisure activities in your area. This call is for research pur-
poses only and does not involves sales or fundraising of any kind. lean assure you that your individual answers will
remain strictly confidential. This survey will take approximately 10 minutes. May I please ask you some questions?"
speaking populations. In the case of arts participation levels, overstated
figures may result. Statistical weighting procedures can help to counteract
this effect, although the best solution is to have multi-lingual interviewers.
Non-Coverage of Households Without Telephones. By definition,
households without telephones are excluded from the sample. Some
researchers claim that the primary distinction between households with
and without telephones is income.22 Arts participation research has shown
that individuals with lower incomes are less likely to be arts attenders.
Thus, arts participation rates tend to be overstated due to the absence of
households without telephones in the sample.
Ultimately, it is virtually impossible to remove all types of bias from your
survey data. Professional researchers, however, can advise you on the most
appropriate ways to minimize bias, including statistical adjustments and
resurveying a sample of nonrespondents.
Sample Design Issues
Sample design is the process of defining who is eligible to be interviewed
for your study. Since you cannot interview everyone in your community
about arts participation, it is necessary to draw a sample from the popula-
tion about which you are interested. The "sample frame" is the set of peo-
ple that has a chance of being selected, given the sampling approach
taken. For example, one of the 12 Local Surveys conducted in 1992 used a
sample frame defined as "...all adults, age 18+, residing in Allegheny
County, Pennsylvania."
When results are to be generalized to a larger population, then a "random
sample" must be obtained - where each person within the sample frame
has an equal, known chance of being interviewed. Achieving a sample that
is representative of the population being studied is essential to the utility
and credibility of survey results. Several key parameters of sample design
follow.
22The source for this observation is NuStats, Inc., a market research firm based in Austin, Texas.
ft.
Geography and Other Eligibility Requirements
Denning a geography to be sampled is an important first step in designing
an arts participation study. Definitions of commonly-used geography units
are included in the appendix. For a local area survey, the geography to be
sampled may be:
K a city or group of cities (municipal boundaries)
ffl a county or group of counties
« a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
II one or more ZIP codes (postal-defined geographies)
S the area covered by one or more telephone exchanges
The purpose of your study will largely determine the geography to be sam-
pled. If, for example, your survey is to assess public opinion on arts-related
issues in connection with an upcoming election, your geography may be
limited to political boundaries. A study related to arts facility planning
may sample from an area including all communities within a 60-minute
drive of the proposed facility. For general arts participation surveys, the
area to be studied should be large enough to encompass an entire "arts
community" - an area within which the local supply of arts programs and
facilities relates directly to arts participation patterns.
Telephone exchanges do not always relate to census or postal-defined geo-
graphies such as cities or ZIP codes. Therefore, it may be necessary to
screen prospective interview subjects by geography - narrowing the defini-
tion of eligible respondents. Generally, additional costs are incurred as the
definition of eligible respondents gets narrower, since more calls need to be
made to achieve the desired sample size.
Other eligibility requirements can be imposed to farther define the popula-
tion being sampled. Typically, respondents must be adults (age 18+). Also,
to ensure random selection within each household, the adult with the most
recent birthday can be designated as the sole eligible respondent.
Determining Sample Size
Determining the best sample size for your study is an important decision
involving trade offs between cost, statistical reliability, and other factors.
Strictly speaking, the sample is the number of persons from whom
responses are sought. If everyone who is called responds to the telephone
survey, then the sample size equals the number of respondents. Since this
is almost never possible, there is an essential distinction between the 'sam-
ple size' and the 'number of completed interviews' or 'N'. Still, researchers
commonly refer to the number of completed interviews as the "sample
size," without discussing response rates, follow-up procedures, or bias.
As the size of your sample grows, so might the cost of your study, since
more calls need to be made to achieve a larger amount of data. However, a
larger sample size will be subject to lower sampling error rates. In con-
trast, a smaller sample size might cost less to collect, but results will be
subject to higher sampling error rates. Much depends on the purpose of
your study and how the data are to be used.
Each of the 12 local arts participation studies conducted in 1992 targeted
the number of respondents at 400, even though the populations being sam-
pled ranged in size from Sedona, Arizona (1990 population = 15,500) to
metropolitan Chicago (population 7.26 million).23 A review of other local
studies shows a range of respondent pools between 200 and 600.
Requesting price quotations for different sized data sets can be informa-
tive. For recent national studies of arts participation, the number of
respondents varied widely:
::::;::;:;:::::::;:;::;:x
:*#x*:*£:*:***:
Study Sample Size
1992 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (Arts Endowment) 12,736
1985 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (Arts Endowment) 13,675
1982 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (Arts Endowment) 17,254
National Cultural Alliance 1992 Public Opinion Survey 1,059
1992 "Americans and the Arts VI" (directed by Louis Harris) 1,500
23 At the request of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, an additional 200 interviews were conducted in areas of
Philadelphia in order to obtain a sufficiently large subset of data for special analyses of arts participation among the Black
and Hispanic populations.
Targeting an appropriate number of respondents is of strategic importance
to the outcome of your study. Consultants or researchers may suggest an
appropriate number, but the decision is ultimately up to management -
based on precision requirement, cost, and other factors.
How Precise Is Your Data?
A certain amount of variation in your survey results is due to random error.
This is because survey results can only estimate the true results from a cen-
sus of the entire population. In research reports, "margins of error" are often
noted simply as "plus or minus 4%," etc. These figures are calculated based
on sample size, the observation being testing, and the desired level of confi-
dence. It is not necessary to understand the statistical concepts underlying
these calculations in order to interpret them correctly. A standard error table
is included in the Appendix, and an illustration is provided below.
wmmmmzmmmmmmm
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Interpreting Margins of Error
A 1992 study of arts participation patterns in rural Nevada revealed a 10% participation rate
for classical music. In other words, of the 400 adults surveyed, 10% reported attending at
least one live classical music performance over the past 12 months. How accurate was this
estimate of the true participation rate for all adults in rural Nevada?
Assume that you wish to evaluate this finding at the 95% level of confidence. This means
that you want to be 95% sure that the true participation rate (for all adults) falls within a
certain range around the sample statistic (10%).
11 In the "Standard Error" table in your research report, you find that for a sample size of 400
and a sample statistic of 10%, the confidence interval is 3%.
Thus, the true participation rate for classical music lies within a range of 3% above or below
10%. In sum, you can say:
"The rate of participation in classical music for all adults in rural Nevada was
estimated to be between 7% and 13%, at the 95% level of confidence."
II Put another way, if you conducted that same study repeatedly, you could expect a classical
music participation rate between 7% and 13% ninety-five times out of a hundred.
11 The margin of error does not account for various sources of bias which might be present in
your survey data (see earlier discussion in this chapter covering "bias").
Two Types of Random Sampling
Another important design parameter is what type of random sample to
use. The two types of random sampling most commonly used in local arts
participation surveys are "straight" and "stratified" random sampling.
II Straight Random Sampling - the sample is drawn randomly from a list
of the entire population. Since not all adults live in households with tele-
phones, simple random sampling by telephone has inherent limitations.
Statistical weighting procedures for key demographic variables (i.e., age,
race, and income) are often used to help correct this problem.
III Stratified Random Sampling - the sample is divided into one or more
sub-groups (e.g., age groups, geographical areas, ethnic groups) based on
the known characteristics of the population being sampled. Then random
samples are chosen from each sub-group. This type of random sampling is
desirable when certain sub-groups or "cells" within the population being
studied are of special interest, and you want to ensure that your raw data
are representative of these sub-groups.
For example, suppose that 35% of the population of an area being studied
is of Hispanic origin, according to census figures. If the desired sample size
is 500, a stratified sample may be designed consisting of 65% (or 325) non-
Hispanic respondents and 35% (or 175) Hispanic respondents. Random
sampling continues until these targets are met. The resulting data would
reflect the known incidence of Hispanic and non-Hispanic individuals in
the population under study.
In arts participation surveys, a stratified sampling approach can be more
costly or time-consuming than a straight approach since it may be neces-
sary to make additional calls to meet the targeted response levels. This is
especially true for population sub-groups which are less likely to be found
in households with telephones. Several of the 12 local studies conducted in
1992 employed a stratified sampling approach:
*.$*£
Site
Stratified Sampling Approach
Pittsburgh/Allegheny County
Total sample of 400 was drawn equally from two geographies,
the City of Pittsburgh and the balance of Allegheny County,
so that results from the two areas could be compared.
Dade County, Florida
Dade County was sub-divided into two sub-areas, one
consisting of telephone exchanges with a high concentration
of minority populations, the other consisting of all remaining
telephone exchanges. The total sample size of 400 was split
between those two sub-areas proportional to their respective
populations.
Philadelphia Metro Area
(7 counties in PA and NJ)
Three sub-areas were defined for this study, as follows:
1. All counties in the Philadelphia MSA except Philadelphia
(200 completed interviews)
2. Telephone exchanges within Philadelphia with a high
concentration of minority population (300 interviews)
3. All remaining telephone exchanges within Philadelphia
(100 interviews)
The total sample size was 600.
Source: Summary Report: 12 Local Studies of Public Participation in the Arts.
Survey Design Issues
The purpose and goals of your study should drive the survey design
process. A well-designed questionnaire will lead the interview subject
through a logical progression of survey topics and questions, eliciting un-
biased responses and high-quality data. The primary challenges of design-
ing an arts participation survey include:
II using questions that relate directly to your information needs
deciding how much data to collect about each topic
constructing the questions properly to avoid bias
II choosing the best response options (e.g., scaled responses, rankings)
limiting the interview to a manageable length
The technical aspects of survey design can get very involved. If you choose
to develop your own questionnaire, read about survey design in an appro-
priate text, and ask a research professional to review a draft of your sur-
vey for content, wording, flow, etc. If professional researchers are drafting
>'Ji.'.
your questionnaire, your careful review of the form is essential. An under-
standing of survey design issues related to arts participation topics will
increase the quality of your input.24
Approaches to Survey Design
To begin designing a survey, refer back to your research case statement,
which should articulate what the survey is supposed to accomplish. This
may include hypotheses that you wish to test, such as "our community is
supportive of public funding for a new arts center," and a list of what needs
to be measured to accomplish the goals of your survey. Such a list might
include "frequency of attendance," "reasons for attending arts programs,"
and "attitudes about arts education." Then, prepare an analysis plan for
each area of inquiry or "survey module," including definition of:
II Dependent Variables - variables for which numbers, percentages and
averages are to be estimated, such as "number of times attended a jazz per-
formance," or agreement or disagreement with an opinionated statement.
In its 1995 arts participation survey, the San Antonio Department of Arts
and Cultural Affairs measured respondents' likelihood of using an arts
information telephone line:
Q: If there was a central telephone number that you could call
24-hours a day to find out about upcoming arts and cultural events,
would you be very likely, somewhat likely, not very likely, or not ajt
all likely to use such a service?
Source: San Antonio Department of Arts & Cultural Affairs/AMS Planning & Research.
II Independent Variables - variables which are needed to explain or predict
other variables. For example, demographic variables such as age, income,
and education are often used to explain arts participation. The National
Cultural Alliance, in its 1992 public opinion survey, asked a series of ques-
tions relating to perceived value and relevancy of the Arts and Humanities,
which were used to help explain art participation patterns:
24 A theoretical approach to survey design is outlined in How to Conduct Surveys: A Step-by-Step Guide, by Arlene Fink
and Jacqueline Kosecoff, 1985, available through SAGE Publications, 2455 Teller Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, tele-
phone (805) 499-9774. For an overview of arts-related survey design issues, read Surveying Your Arts Audience, the 1985
Arts Endowment Research Division Manual, pages 13-23.
Q: The arts and humanities are
considered to include the
visual arts, such as painting
and sculpture; literature;
the performing arts or
theatre, dance and music;
and philosophy, history, and
languages. Would you say
the arts and humanities
play a major role in your
life, a minor role, or no role
at all?
Source: National Cultural Alliance/Research
& Forecasts, Inc.
H Variables with Other Functions -
additional variables may serve to
check out competing hypotheses
or to verify the consistency of
responses.
Floyd Fowler, Jr., in his book
Survey Research Methods, recom-
mends this basic approach to sur-
vey design, which may be followed
by experienced researchers and
first-timers alike.
Although there are many combina-
tions of survey topics and infinite
variations of specific questions, it
is not necessary to design every
arts participation survey from
[Scratch. Questionnaires developed
by the Arts Endowment and other
(agencies contain large numbers of
DEFINITIONS OF "CORE" ARTS
ACTIVITIES
Jazz
Respondents are allowed to
define jazz in their own way.
May include blues, soul, R&B, etc.
Classical music
Includes symphony, chamber music,
choral music, and instrumental or
vocal recitals
Opera
An opera is a drama set to music
and made up of vocal pieces.
Excludes operettas
Musicals
Plays
Ballet
Musical-dramatic productions
consisting of musical numbers and
spoken dialogue based on a unifying
plot. Includes "Broadway musical"
and "musical comedies"
A non-musical stage play is a
theatrical production consisting of
spoken dialogue
A theatrical art form using ballet
dancing (dancing in which
conventional poses and steps are
used), music, and scenery to convey
a story, theme, or atmosphere
Other dance
Includes modern dance, folk, tap,
and other dance such as clogging,
and traditional/ethnic dance
Art museum/
gallery
Attendance at museums or galleries
that display or sell original works of
art
Other Arts Activities
Arts/crafts
fair/festival
Includes events where arts or crafts
are demonstrated or for sale
Movie theatre
Attendance at a cinema/movie
theatre
Historic
park/site
Includes any historic park or
monument, as well as any building
or neighborhood the respondent
visited for its historical value or
architectural design
Source: National Endowment for the Arts.
questions which can be used verbatim or adapted for use in a new sur-
vey. Although it is not possible to replicate large numbers of survey
questions in this guide, a reproduction of the 1992 SPPA questionnaire
is included in the Appendix.
"Core" Questions
Questions about arts participation are necessarily part of an arts partici-
pation survey, as denned in this guide. Although a wide range of addition-
al topics may be included, certain "core" questions may be used to
measure participation in key arts activities (see inset on previous page). It
is not suggested that all arts participation surveys should be standardized
or even limited to the topics discussed in this guide. However, the inclu-
sion of topics and/or questions which have been tested and analyzed
extensively in the body of research on arts participation is generally rec-
ommended, for several reasons. Using previously-tested questions may
help you avoid costly design errors and save time and money. Also, you
may turn to published reports for ideas on how to structure your analysis
of the data.
Using questions from other surveys does not ensure that your data will be
comparable. Differences in sample design may prevent you from making
direct comparisons. In fact, unless the surveys, sample frames, and meth-
ods of collecting data are nearly identical, it is not possible to make a direct
comparison of results across the studies. However, it is possible to gain
context from other studies by looking at general trends between data sets.
Professional researchers can advise you on the comparability of your sur-
vey results with other studies.
Interview Length
One of the greatest challenges in designing a survey is limiting its length.
Generally, the maximum duration of a telephone interview should be 12 to
15 minutes, beyond which it becomes increasingly difficult to keep respon-
dents on the phone without an advance commitment. All telephone surveys
should be pre-tested for average completion time and to uncover design-
related problems. If it becomes necessary to edit your survey down to a
&v
reasonable length, return to your research case statement for guidance in
prioritizing your information needs.
It is not always necessary to ask all respondents the same questions, if
your sample size is large enough. To broaden the scope of your survey it
may be possible to divide the sample into two or more subgroups and ask
certain questions on a rotating basis. For example, if your sample size is
600, certain "core" questions may be asked of all respondents, followed by
different groups of questions for the first 300 respondents and the second
300 respondents.
Overview of Arts Participation Survey Topics
To stimulate the survey design process, topics from a variety of arts partici-
pation studies have been compiled and are presented over the following
pages. By no means exhaustive, this list of survey topics includes subjects
covered in the 1992 SPPA and a number of other local and national studies.
When applicable, topics are referenced with their respective question num-
bers in the 1992 SPPA and 12 Local Area Arts Participation Surveys
(LAAPS) survey forms.
Topic: Attendance at Arts Performances/Events
Arts
Participation
Rates
Frequency of
Participation
Participation rates are measured for certain types of
arts activities (e.g., live performances, art exhibitions,
literature), over a given time period - typically the
preceding 12 months. Eight "core" arts activities denned
by the Arts Endowment include jazz, opera, classical music,
musical theatre, plays, ballet, other dance, and art
museums/galleries. Participation in other arts disciplines
or sub-disciplines such as "traditional/ethnic dance" may
be also queried.
The number of times the respondent participated in a
specified arts activity over a given time period.
SPPA92: Ql-13
LAAPS: Ql-13
SPPA92: Ql-20
LAAPS: Ql-14
Participation
through
Broadcast and
Recorded Media
Measures rates of exposure to various arts disciplines
via television/video and radio/recordings.
SPPA92: Q14-20
LAAPS: Q14-16
Venues
Attended
Respondents are asked what type(s) of facility they most
recently attended. In local studies, actual venue
names may be used.
LAAPS: Ql-7
£
Topic: Personal Participation in the Arts
Performance
and Arts/Craft
Activities
Respondents are asked about their avocational
involvement in various arts activities, such as:
Making pottery/ceramics/jewelry, etc.
Weavmg/qutttmg/crocheting/sewing, etc.
11 Film/video/photography (as art)
Painting/drawing/sculpture/printmaking
Creative writing
Music composition
Own pieces of art
Musician (various disciplines)
Dancer (ballet or other dance)
SPPA92: Q23-36
Art Classes
and Lessons
To examine how people learn about and participate
in the arts through classes and lessons, respondents
are asked if they receive instruction in any of several
disciplines, either as adults, or when they were children.
SPPA92: Q38-45
Topic: Participation in other Leisure Activities
Frequency of
Participation in
Other Leisure
Activities
In order to assess how arts participation relates to other
leisure activities, respondents may be asked about
their participation (or their children's about activities as:
Watching television (number of hours per day)
ill Going to the movies
Attending amateur or professional sports events
11 Amusement parks, carnivals, etc.
Exercising, or playing sports
Outdoor activities (gardening, camping, hiking, etc.)
Volunteer or charity work
Home improvement
SPPA92: Q22a-j
Topic: Communication & Information
Sources of
Information
about Arts
Events
Respondents are asked how they learn about about arts
events (or a specific program), usually on an unaided
basis. Sources may include direct mail, print media, radio,
television, telemarketing, word-of-mouth, etc. Alternately,
respondents may be asked how influential each source
is to their decision to attend, using a scaled response.
LAAPS: Q21
Media Usage
In local studies, readership of local newspapers and
magazines can be measured, as well as which radio
stations and television channels are used.
LAAPS: Q21A-H
Adequacy of
Arts Information
Satisfaction with the availability of information about
arts events may also be measured.
LAAPS: Q22
Aided and
Unaided
Awareness
Levels
On local surveys, respondents may be asked to name the
local arts programs or organizations that come to mind, on
an unaided and/or aided basis. These data are particularly
useful to individual arts groups, and may also point to
community-wide communication and information issues.
various local
surveys
<3c*
Topic: attitudes & opinions about the Arts
Interest in
Attending
More Often
Evaluates what types of programs respondents would like
to attend more often, and which of these they would like
do the the most. Separate questions may measure interest
in culturally-specific programs.
SPPA92: Q21
LAAPS: Q17-18
Reasons for
Not Attending
More Often
Reasons for
Attending
Arts Events
Importance
of the Arts
Often called "barriers to participation," this survey topic
was included in the 1982 and 1985 SPPAs. The 1992
SPPA did not include this topic but the 12 Local Studies
queried such reasons as cost, lack of time, transportation
problems, safety concerns, etc.
As an alternative to studying barriers to participation,
some researchers are focusing on reasons why people do
surveys attend arts events, such as "to be with friends,''
"for intellectual stimulation," and other reasons.
Attitudes about the importance of the arts in general or
about the importance of the arts in education are measured.
LAAPS: Q18
various local
surveys
LAAPS: Q19-20
Opinions on
Arts and
Related Issues
Respondents may be asked their opinions on a variety of arts-
related issues, such as public funding for the arts (or surveys
a specific arts project), the importance of arts-in-education,
perceived need for additional arts facilities, and other issues.
One approach is to measure respondents' agreement/
disagreement with a series of opinionated statements.
various local
surveys
Topic: Anticipated behavior & Preferences
Likelihood of
Attending Arts
Programs
In local surveys, respondents may be asked their
likelihood of attending an existing or proposed arts
facility or program, or their desire to participate in arts
classes, etc. This line of questioning is most often used
in surveys related to arts facility development and
cultural planning.
An alternate line of questioning relates interest in
attending a specific type of arts activity to anticipated
attendance, to study the gap between interest and behavior.
various local
surveys
Music Preferences
Respondents are read a list of types of music and asked
to what extent they enjoy listening to each, and which
they enjoy most. Over 20 types of music were listed in
the 1992 SPPA, ranging from opera to rap music.
SPPA92: Q37
>'J<
Topic: Respondent Characteristics
Age
Race/Ethnicity
and Cultural
Identity
Respondents are asked their age or age group using
predefined "cohorts." When age cohorts are used for data
collection or analysis, it is often useful to use U.S.
Census-defined cohorts so that survey results can be
compared to census figures for the sampled geography.
Census Bureau definitions of cohorts for selected
demographic variables are included in the Appendix.
Almost all arts participation surveys collect
race/ethnicity data using cohorts defined by the Census
Bureau (see Appendix). Additional questions may
identify respondents' nationality/country of origin.
Researchers seeking to understand more about the
cultural identity of respondents may design additional
questions to address issues such as multi-cultural
households, languages spoken, family immigration
history, and self-defined cultural identity independent
of race or nationality.
all surveys
all surveys
Household
Income
Total household income includes income from employment
and other sources for all household members.
all surveys
all surveys
Educational
Attainment
Respondents are typically asked to identify the highest
level of education they completed. (Education level is
consistently found to be the most significant predictor
of arts attendance.)
Marital Status
Categories may include Married/Life Partner, Single/
Never Married, Separated, and Divorced.
all surveys
Number of
Children in
Household
In some cases, it may be useful to collect household size
data broken down by age group, especially children ages
0-5, 6-12, and 13-17, etc.
all surveys
Occupation and
Employment
Status
Owner-Occupied
Housing Status
Occupation and employment status data can offer insight
in combination with other demographic variables, for
example, in exploring arts participation patterns of
working mothers, etc. [reference standard categories].
Allows distinction between renters and property owners.
all surveys
all surveys
Geography
Residency Status
Respondents may be asked to identify their home ZIP
Code or other geography to verify that eligibility
requirements were met and to facilitate data analysis
for geographical sub-areas.
Researchers may seek to identify seasonal residents in
order to qualify arts participation questions as relating
to local activity only.
various surveys,
local and national
local area surveys
only
Topic: Buyer Behavior
Purchase j Respondents are asked to identify who usually
Decision-Maker i selects the arts events that they attend (e.g., friends,
1 spouse, joint decision, etc.). Buyer behavior questions
are frequently used in audience surveys, but may also
\ be included in community surveys to measure
! general trends.
various local
surveys
Method of 1 Preferences for purchasing tickets at the box office,
Purchase j by telephone, or by mail can be measured and are
\ frequently correlated to demographic characteristics.
various local
surveys
Tuning of Surveys may test the hypothesis that different groups
Purchase I of arts patrons have different planning horizons and
| can be segmented according to how far in advance
| they typically purchase tickets.
various local
surveys
Type of Tickets j It may be useful to identify respondents who have
Purchased \ purchased subscription or series tickets in the past
'$ year.
various local
\ surveys
Pre-Testing
The final draft of an arts participation survey should be pre-tested on 20 to
50 eligible respondents under conditions approximating actual data collec-
tion. The primary reasons for pre-testing a telephone survey are:
H to assess average interview length and make adjustments to the survey
as necessary
if to check that the questions are easy for interviewers to read and for
respondents to understand
to see if respondents can answer questions accurately. Problems may be
indicated when respondents ask for clarification or provide initial
answers that require probing.
One advantage of telephone surveys is that the questionnaire can be
edited up until the moment that data collection begins. Pre-test results
should be reviewed by the research team and changes made to the
questionnaire as necessary. With such large sums at stake, survey pre-
testing is a relatively small investment in assuring high-quality results
and avoiding costly errors.
Preparing Data for Analysis
Data coding is the process of assigning values or codes to survey responses
to facilitate statistical analysis. Data entry is the process of entering sur-
vey data into a computer file for subsequent analysis. Whether or not you
have data coding and entry to do depends on how data was recorded dur-
ing the telephone interviews. Generally, if your data was collected by a
commercial research firm, data coding and entry will be done for you. A
commonly-used technique called "computer-assisted telephone interview-
ing" (CATI) automates the data coding and entry process.
Manual data coding and entry is a time-consuming project, especially
when open-ended questions were included in the survey. Even if your data
was collected on paper forms, coding and entry can be sub-contracted com-
mercially at a very reasonable cost, with or without subsequent analysis.
Ideally, data should be entered into a computer program that will run tab-
ulations, cross-tabulations, and other statistical procedures. At a mini-
mum, enter your survey data into a commonly-used spreadsheet or
database program, most of which have some statistical analysis
capabilities.
ANALYSIS AND REPORTING
The amount of time and energy devoted to data analysis and reporting -
the process of understanding your results - will heavily impact the overall
success of your research effort. At one extreme, consultants may analyze
your data, make a final presentation and help you develop a plan to act on
survey results. At the other extreme, data may be analyzed by a staff
member or student researcher using whatever tools are available.
Regardless of the level of assistance with data analysis and reporting, a
familiarity with basic statistical analysis procedures will enhance your
understanding of what can be done with your arts participation data.25
25A straightforward discussion of data analysis and reporting may be found in Surveying Your Arts Audience. Arts
Endowment Research Division Manual, 1985, pages 57-65. The general principles behind summarizing survey results are
covered in Blankenship and Breen's State of the Art Marketing Research. 1993, pages 249-290.
12
Analyzing Single Variables
The first step in analyzing data from an arts participation survey is tabu-
lating responses to each question and computing useful statistics including
percentages and averages:
Percentages - the number of responses in a given category divided by the
total number of valid responses. For example:
Q: In general, how important is it to you to be able to attend or to take part in arts
activities and events? Would you say it is. . .
RESPONSE
very important
somewhat important
not at all important
don't know/refused
Frequency
%
98
24.4
203
50.7
92
22.9
8
2.0
Valid%
Cum%
24.9
51.6
23.5
missing
24.9
76.5
100.0
TOTAL SAMPLE 401
Source: San Jose area arts participation survey, 1992.
100.0
In this example, several percentages are computed: the response
percentage (which accounts for all response options), the valid percentage
(excludes missing cases and "don't knows" from the total sample size), and
cumulative percentage (the running total of percentages on a continuous
scale).
■ Averages - what statisticians call measures of central tendency, come in
three forms: the mean (the sum total of values divided by the number of
cases), the median (the middle case in a series - half fall above the medi-
an and half fall below), and the mode (the most frequent response). All
three figures have a different meaning in the example on the following
page:
Q: On a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 meaning not at aU likely and 10 meaning very likely, how
likely would you be to make an annual contribution to a United Arts Fund drive, like a
"United Way" for arts and cultural organizations?
RESPONSE SCALE
0 - not at all likely
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 - very likely
don't know/refused
TOTAL SAMPLE
Frequency
%
35
12
7
16
9
58
16
27
19
21
63
17
11.6
4.0
2.3
5.3
3.0
19.3
5.3
9.0
6.3
7.0
21.0
5.6
300
100.0
Source: Anchorage (AK) cultural planning survey, 1993.
Valid %
12.4
4.2
2.8
5.6
3.2
20.5
5.6
9.5
6.7
7.4
22.3
Cum. %
12.4
16.6
19.1
24.7
27.9
48.4
54.1
63.6
70.3
77.7
100.0
In this example, the mean response is 5.85. The mean was calculated by
multiplying each number on the scale by its respective number of respons-
es, summing these figures, and then dividing by the total number of valid
responses:
Calculation of the Mean
(0 x 35)+(l x 12)+(2 x 7)+(3 x 16) . . . = 1,656
1,656 divided by 283 valid responses = 5.85
Thus, on a scale of 0 to 10 (with 5 = average likelihood of making a contri-
bution), respondents indicated a higher than average likelihood of support-
ing a United Arts Fund.
The median (or middle) response was 6, meaning simply that half respond-
ed 6 or higher, and half responded 6 or lower. In the table above, 137 peo-
ple responded below 6 and 140 people responded above 6.
The mode, or most frequent response was 10, indicating a substantial
group of strong supporters, but not descriptive of the entire sample. In this
example, the mean figure seems most informative. Median figures are par-
ticularly helpful when data sets (such as income figures) are skewed by one
or more extreme observations, since the value of the middle statistic is
unaffected by extreme cases at one end or the other.
Analyzing Multiple Variables
Cross-tabulations are useful in measuring the amount of similarity
between two sets of data. Selecting which variables to cross-tabulate is an
important part of your analysis. For this reason, it is helpful to have some-
one familiar with arts issues play a role in data analysis. Demographic
variables are frequently cross-tabulated with arts participation data to
reveal underlying patterns. Additional relationships between variables
should be hypothesized in your research case statement, and should be
explored in your analysis. For example, you may hypothesize that interest
in attending more often is related to frequency of participation, and con-
struct an analysis to prove or disprove your theory. Another use of cross-
tabulations is to obtain data on overlapping audiences between the
various arts disciplines (e.g., what percentage of jazz attenders also attend
ballet).
Graphs can effectively communicate the results of cross-tabulations. The
example below relates frequency of arts participation with educational
attainment. In addition to displaying results in tabular or graphical for-
mat, measures of statistical significance should also be reported, such as
Chi-square, T-test, and F-ratio. The Chi-square statistic, for example, tells
you when to conclude that the distribution of two variables is independent
(or dependent). Proper interpretation of these statistics requires some
knowledge of statistics, but no report is complete without them. Most com-
puter software programs compute these statistics automatically for cross-
tabulations.
A word of caution about cross-tabulations. Finding a relationship between
two variables does not prove that one variable necessarily causes the other.
Cross-tabulations cannot prove causality - a variety of other factors may
Frequency of Participation by
Education Levels
I I High School or
Lower
Some
College
Bachelor's
Degree or
Higher
.9 >
3 3
< s
■** ••■«
60%
50% --
40% -|-
30%
20%
10% ^
0%
furwr
0 Times 1 Time 2 or 3 Times 4 or 5 Times 6+ Times
Attended any of Eight Benchmark Arts Activities . . .
Source: Summary Report: 12 Local Surveys of Arts Participation.
be at play. Rely on
your intuition and
knowledge of the sur-
vey subject matter to
infer causality
between two or more
variables.
Advanced
Statistical
Procedures
Tabulations and cross-
tabulations should sat-
isfy most, if not all, of
your analysis needs.
However, it may be
helpful for someone with statistical training to conduct further analyses.
Several of the more advanced statistical procedures used in analyzing arts
participation data include:
III Regression Analysis - used to measure the relationship between a depen-
dent variable (y) such as classical music participation, and one or more
independent variables (xl, x2, x3 . . .) such as education level, participation
in childhood music lessons, etc., which might predict (y).
■I Factor Analysis - a technique used to boil down a large number of vari-
ables into a limited number of dimensions for analysis.
II Discriminant Analysis - results from this analysis identify which factors
contribute the most to a particular variable such as jazz participation. In
the 12 Local Surveys, discriminant analysis was used to determine the
demographic variables which best distinguish between those respondents
who participate in the arts and those who do not.
Acting on Your Survey Results
How can your survey results be put to work? While some arts participation
studies conclude with a final report or presentation, additional work
remains to be done in most cases, depending on the original purpose of the
study. Further dissemination of survey results may be advantageous,
including press conferences, written press releases, one-on-one meetings
with elected officials, presentations at city council and various board meet-
ings, and facilitated workshops for local arts managers. Look beyond the
original purpose of your survey for additional applications of the data. A
survey conducted for advocacy purposes, for example, might also produce
valuable marketing data for local arts managers.
Generally, arts participation research has value to the arts administrator
in three areas. All arts participation research has knowledge-value; it con-
tributes to the collective understanding of the complex and changing arts
participation patterns of Americans. In this sense, your research effort can
benefit future studies, just as you benefited from the experience of previous
researchers. Newly-gained knowledge may be shared with policy-makers
and the public to inform their decisions and raise their awareness of arts
issues.
Survey results may also have decision-value in that they contribute infor-
mation to a decision process typically related to arts facility development,
program selection, or other resource allocation. For example, survey results
can provide crucial direction and momentum to cultural planning efforts.
In some cases, planners may simply take research results under advise-
ment; in other cases, key decisions are based largely on survey results -
underscoring the importance of using scientific research methods.
Individual arts groups may also make decisions based on survey results -
most often related to ticketing, programming, and marketing issues.
Finally, survey results may have creative-value in the development of advo-
cacy or audience development campaigns. Research findings may be trans-
lated into campaign themes (e.g., "Reno is one of America's best read
cities." billboard campaign) or creative ideas might surface during data
analysis, particularly when responses to open-ended survey questions are
analyzed. Revisiting your data with a different analytical perspective (e.g.,
marketing or education) may prove especially worthwhile.
67
SECTION IV
PPENDIX
Sample Survey Instrument
Resources for Professional Assistance (listing of service organizations, etc.)
Selected Geography Definitions
Sampling Error Table
Census-Defined Demographic Cohorts
Bibliography on Public Participation in the Arts
Sample Survey Instrument
1992 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (long form), National Endowment for the Arts
July-December 1992
FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - Ask SPPA-2 if respondent is 18 years of age or older
INTRODUCTION - Now I have some questions about your leisure activities. The Bureau of the
Census is collecting this information for the National Endowment for the Arts. The survey is
authorized by Title 20, United States Code, section 954 and Title 13, United States Code, section
8. Your participation in this interview is voluntary and there are no penalties for not answering
some or all of the questions. (If PERSONAL INTERVIEW, hand respondent the Privacy Act Statement,
SPPA-13.)
PGM 3
010
2.
012
013
The following questions are about YOUR
activities during the LAST 12 months
between 1. 19 . and
,19
With the exception of elementary or high
school performances, did YOU go to a live
jazz performance during the LAST 12
MONTHS?
oDNo
Yes - About how many times did you do
this during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of times
(With the exception of elementary or high
school performances,) Did you go to a live
classical music performance such as
symphony, chamber, or choral music
during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
oDNo
Yes - About how many times did you do
this during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of times
(With the exception of elementary or high
school performances,) Did you go to a live
opera during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
oDNo
Yes - About how many times did you do
this during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of times
(With the exception of elementary or high
school performances,) Did you go to a live
musical stage play or an operetta during
the LAST 12 MONTHS?
oDNo
Yes - About how many times did you do
this during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of times
014
015
7.
016
8.
017
9.
016
(With the exception of elementary or high
school performances,) Did you go to a live
performance of a non-musical stage play
during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
oDNo
Yes - About how many times did you do
this during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of times
(With the exception of elementary or high
school performances,) Did you go to a live
ballet performance during the LAST 12
MONTHS?
oDNo
Yes - About how many times did you do
this during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of times
(With the exception of elementary or high
school performances,) Did you go to a live
dance performance other than ballet, such
as modern, folk, or tap during the LAST 12
MONTHS?
oDNo
Yes - About how many times did you do
this during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of times
(During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
visit an ART museum or gallery?
oDNo
Yes - About how many times did you do
this during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of times
(During the LAST 12 MONTHS.) Did you
visit an ART fair or festival, or a CRAFT fair
or festival?
oDNo
Yes - About how many times did you do
this during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of times
10. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
visit an historic park or monument, or
tour buildings, or neighborhoods for their
historic or design value?
£1U oDNo
Yes - About how many times did you do
this during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of times
11. With the exception of books required for
work or school, did you read any books
during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
.222J oDNo
Yes - About how many books did you
read during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
Number of books
12. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
read any -
Read answer categories
a. Plays?
1 021 I 1DN0 aDYes
b. Poetry?
_ELJ iDNo 2DYes
c. Novels or short stories? [J!!] 1DN0 2D Yes
13. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
listen to -
a. A reading of poetry, ■ »
either live or recorded? I 024 I 1DN0 2D Yes
b. A reading of novels or
books either live or
recorded?
I 025 I 1DN0 2DYes
14a. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS.) Did you
watch a jazz performance on television or
a video (VCR) tape?
026
1 DNo - Skip to item 14c
Yes - Was that on TV, VCR, or both?
2DTV
3D VCR
4 D Both
b. About how many times did you do this in
the LAST 12 MONTHS?
027
Number of times
c. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
listen to jazz on radio?
1DN0
2D Yes
d. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
listen to jazz records, tapes, or compact
discs?
I 1DN0
2D Yes
030
15a. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
watch a classical music performance on
television or a video (VCR) tape?
1 D No - Skip to item 15c
Yes - Was that on TV, VCR, or both?
2DTV
3D VCR
4 D Both
b. About how many times did you do this (in
the LAST 12 MONTHS)?
031
Number of times
c. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
listen to classical music on radio?
032
iDNO
2D Yes
d. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
listen to classical music records, tapes or
compact discs?
1DN0
2D Yes
16a. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
watch an opera on television or a video
(VCR) tape?
034
1 DNo - Skip to item 16c
Yes - Was that on TV, VCR, or both?
2DTV
sDVCR
4 D Both
b. About how many times did you do this (in
the LAST 12 MONTHS)?
035
Number of times
c. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
listen to opera music on radio?
036
iDNO
2D Yes
d. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
listen to opera music records, tapes, or
compact discs?
1DN0
2D Yes
17a. With the exception of movies, did you
watch a musical stage play or an operetta
on television or a video (VCR) tape during
the LAST 12 MONTHS?
038
1 D No - Skip to item 17c
Yes - Was that on TV, VCR, or both?
2DTV
3D VCR
4 D Both
b. About how many times did you do this (in
the LAST 12 MONTHS)?
039
Number of times
c. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
listen to a musical stage play or an operetta
on radio?
040
iDNO
2D Yes
(During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
listen to a musical stage play or an operetta
on records, tapes, or compact discs?
041 |
iDNO
2D Yes
Page 2
FORM SPPA-2 (4-9-92)
18a. With the exception of movies, situation
comedies, or TV series, did you watch a
non-musical stage play on television or a video
(VCR) tape during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
1 DNo - Skip to item 18c
Yes - Was that on TV, VCR, or both?
zDTV
3D VCR
4 D Both
b. About how many times did you do this (in the
LAST 12 MONTHS)?
043
Number of times
c. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you listen
to a radio performance of a non-musical stage
play?
044
iDNO
2D Yes
19a. With the exception of music videos, did you
watch on television or a video (VCR) tape
dance such as ballet, modern, folk, or tap
during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
045
1 □ No - Skip to item 20a
Yes - Was that on TV, VCR, or both?
2DTV
3D VCR
4 □ Both
b. About how many times did you do this (in
the LAST 12 MONTHS)?
046
Number of times
20a. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you watch
a program about artists, art works, or art
museums on television or a video (VCR) tape?
047
1 □ No - Skip to item 21a
Yes - Was that on TV, VCR, or both?
2DTV
sDVCR
4 D Both
b. About how many times did you do this (in
the LAST 12 MONTHS)?
048
Number of times
2 1a. I'm going to read a list of events that some
people like to attend. If you could go to any of
these events as often as you wanted, which
ones would you go to MORE OFTEN than you
do now? I'll read the list. Go to -
Mark (X) all that apply.
iDJazz music performances
2D Classical music performances
3D Operas
4 D Musical plays or operettas
5 D Non-musical plays
6 D Ballet performances
7 D Dance performances other than ballet
sD Art museums or galleries
9 D None of these - Skip to item 22a
*
t^;
If only one is chosen, skip to item 22a.
If more than one is chosen, ask -
b. Which of these would you like to do most?
Category number
00DN0 one thing most
22a. The following questions are about your
participation in other leisure activities.
Approximately how many hours of television
do you watch on an average day?
055
Number of hours
. During the LAST 12 MONTHS, did YOU go
out to the movies?
056
iDNO
2D Yes
057
058
059
060
, With the exception of youth sports, did you
go to any amateur or professional sports
events during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
1DN0
2D Yes
. During the LAST 12 MONTHS, did you go to
an amusement or theme park, a carnival, or
a similar place of entertainment?
1DN0
2D Yes
During the LAST 12 MONTHS, did you jog,
lift weights, walk, or participate in any other
exercise program?
1DN0
2D Yes
During the LAST 12 MONTHS, did you
participate in any sports activity, such as
softball, basketball, golf, bowling, skiing, or
tennis?
1DN0
2D Yes
g. Did you participate in any outdoor activities,
such as camping, hiking, or canoeing during
the LAST 12 MONTHS?
061
iDNO
2D Yes
h. Did you do volunteer or charity work during
the LAST 12 MONTHS?
062
iDNO
2D Yes
i. Did you make repairs or improvements on
your own home during the LAST 12
MONTHS?
063
iDNO
2D Yes
Did you work with indoor plants or do any
gardening for pleasure during the LAST 12
MONTHS?
1DN0
2D Yes
23a. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you work
with pottery, ceramics, jewelry, or do any
leatherwork or metalwork?
065
1 DNo - Skip to item 24a
2D Yes
b. Did you publicly display any of your works?
1DN0
2D Yes
FORM SPPA-2 I4-9-92)
Page 3
24a. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you do
any weaving, crocheting, quilting,
needlepoint, or sewing?
067
1 □ No - Skip to item 25a
2D Yes
b. Did you publicly display any of your works?
068
1DN0
2D Yes
25a. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you
make photographs, movies, or video tapes
as an artistic activity?
069
1 □ No - Skip to item 26a
2D Yes
b. Did you publicly display any of your works?
iDNo
2D Yes
26a. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you do
any painting, drawing, sculpture, or
printmaking activities?
071
1 □ No - Skip to item 27a
2D Yes
b. Did you publicly display any of your works?
072
iDNo
2D Yes
27a. With the exception of work or school, did you
do any creative writing such as stories, poems,
or plays during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
073
1 DNo - Skip to item 28a
2D Yes
074
b. Were any of your writings published?
i DNo
2D Yes
28a. Did you write or compose any music during
the LAST 12 MONTHS?
075 I 1 DNo - Skip to item 29a
2D Yes
b.Was your musical composition played in a
public performance or rehearsed for a public
performance?
076
iDNo
2D Yes
29a. Do you own any original pieces of art, such
as paintings, drawings, sculpture, prints, or
lithographs?
077
1 D No - Skip to item 30a
2D Yes
b. Did you purchase or acquire any of these
pieces during the LAST 12 MONTHS?
078
1DN0
2D Yes
30a. During the LAST 12 MONTHS, did you
perform or rehearse any jazz music?
079
1 D No - Skip to item 31a
2D Yes
Page 4
30b. Did you play any jazz in a public performance
or rehearse for a public performance?
080
1DN0
2D Yes
31a. During the LAST 12 MONTHS, did you play
any classical music?
j£Ll 1 D No -Skip to item 32a
2D Yes
b. Did you play classical music in a public
performance or rehearse for a public
performance?
082
1DN0
2D Yes
32a. During the LAST 12 MONTHS, did you sing any
music from an opera?
083
1 D No - Skip to item 33a
2D Yes
b. Did you sing in a public opera performance
or rehearse for a public performance?
084
1DN0
2D Yes
33a. During the LAST 12 MONTHS, did you sing
music from a musical play or operetta?
£2U 1 D No -Skip to item 33c
2D Yes
b. Did you sing in a public performance of a
musical play or operetta or rehearse for a
public performance?
086
iDNO
2D Yes
c. During the LAST 12 MONTHS, did you sing in
a public performance with a chorale, choir,
or glee club or other type of vocal group, or
rehearse for a public performance?
087
iDNO
2D Yes
34. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS.) Did you act in a
public performance of a non-musical play or
rehearse for a public performance?
088
iDNO
2D Yes
35a. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you dance
any ballet?
089
1 D No - Skip to item 36a
2D Yes
b. Did you dance ballet in a public performance
or rehearse for a public performance?
090
iDNO
2D Yes
36a. (During the LAST 12 MONTHS,) Did you do any
dancing other than ballet such as modern, folk,
or tap?
22L\ 1 D No - Skip to item 37a
2D Yes
b. Did you dance modern, folk, or tap in a
public performance?
092
iDNO
2D Yes
FORM SPPA-2 (4-9-92I
37a. I'm going to read a list of some types of
music. As I read the list, tell me which of
these types of music you like to listen to?
Mark (X) all that apply.
*
094
-*-
095
096
■%•■
098
1 D Classical/Chamber music
2D Opera
3D Operetta/Broadway musicals/Show tunes
4 D Jazz
5 D Reggae (Reg gay')
6DRap music
7 D Soul
eD Blues/Rhythm and blues
9 D Latin/Spanish/Salsa
10 D Big band
11 □Parade/Marching band
12 D Country-western
nDBIuegrass
14 D Rock
isDThe music of a particular Ethnic/
National tradition
16 D Contemporary folk music
17 D Mood/Easy listening
18 D New age music
19 D Choral/Glee club
20 D Hymns/Gospel
21 D All
22 D None/Don't like to listen to music - Skip to item 38a
b. If only one category is marked in 37a, enter code in
37b without asking. Which of these do you like
best?
099
Category number
00D No one type best
38a. Have you EVER taken lessons or classes in
music - either voice training or playing an
instrument?
100
1 D No - Skip to item 39a
2D Yes
b. Did you take these lessons when you were
Read categories. (Do not read category 4 if
respondent is under 25 years old.)
Mark (X) all that apply.
101
1 D Less than 1 2 years old
2D 12-1 7 years old
3D 18-24 years old
4 D 25 or older
CHECK
ITEM A
Refer to item 38b
Is box 1 or 2 marked in item 38b?
D No - Skip to Check Item B
DYes - Ask item 38c
38c. Were these lessons or classes offered by the
elementary or high school you were
attending or did you take these lessons
elsewhere?
102
1D Elementary/high school
2D Elsewhere
3D Both
CHECK
ITEM B
the respondent is under 25 years old?
DNo - Skip to item 39a
DYes - Ask item 38d
38d.Did you take any of these lessons or
classes in the past year?
J°lI 1DN0
2 DYes
39a. (Have you EVER taken lessons or
classes) in visual arts such as sculpture,
painting, print making, photography, or
film making?
104
1 D No - Skip to item 40a
2 DYes
b. Did you take these lessons when you were
Read categories. (Do not read category 4 if
respondent is under 25 years old.)
Mark (X) all that apply.
105
1 D Less than 1 2 years old
2 D 1 2-1 7 years old
3D 18-24 years old
4 D 25 or older
CHECK
ITEM C
Refer to item 39b
Is box 1 or 2 marked in item 39b?
D No - Skip to Check Item D
DYes - Ask item 39c
39c. Were these lessons or classes offered by the
elementary or high school you were
attending or did you take these lessons
elsewhere?
106 I 1D Elementary/high school
2D Elsewhere
3D Both
CHECK
ITEM D
Refer to item 39b
If box 4 is marked in item 39b, ASK item 39d.
If not - Is box 2 or 3 marked in item 39b AND
the respondent is under 25 years old?
D No - Skip to item 40a
DYes - Ask item 39d
39d.Did you take any of these lessons or classes
in the past year?
107
iDNO
2 DYes
40a. (Have you EVER taken lessons or classes) in
acting or theater?
108
1 D No - Skip to item 4 1a
2 DYes
b. Did you take these lessons when you were
Read categories. (Do not read category 4 if
respondent is under 25 years old.)
Mark (X) all that apply.
109
1 D Less than 1 2 years old
2D 12-1 7 years old
3D 18-24 years old
4 D 25 or older
Refer to item 38b
If box 4 is marked in item 38b, ASK item 38d.
If not - Is box 2 or 3 marked in item 38b AND
CHECK
ITEM E
Refer to item 40b
Is box 1 or 2 marked in item 40b?
DNo - Skip to Check Item F
D Yes - Ask item 40c
40c. Were these lessons or classes offered by the
elementary or high school you were
attending or did you take these lessons
elsewhere?
1,0 I 1 D Elementary/high school
2D Elsewhere
3D Both
FORM SPPA 2 (4-9-92I
Page 5
CHECK
ITEM F
Refer to item 40b
If box 4 is marked in item 40b, ASK item 40d.
If not - Is box 2 or 3 marked in item 40b AND
the respondent is under 25 years old?
DNo - Skip to item 41a
DYes - Ask item 40d
40d.Did you take any of these lessons or classes
in the past year?
111
iDNo
2d Yes
41 a. (Have you EVER taken lessons or classes) in
ballet?
112
1 D No - Skip to item 42a
2 DYes
b. Did you take these lessons when you were
Read categories. (Do not read category 4 if
respondent is under 25 years old.)
Mark (X) all that apply.
113
1 D Less than 1 2 years old
2 □ 1 2-1 7 years old
3D 18-24 years old
4 D 25 or older
CHECK
ITEM G
Refer to item 41b
Is box 1 or 2 marked in item 41b?
D No - Skip to Check Item H
DYes - Ask item 41c
41c. Were these lessons or classes offered by the
elementary or high school you were
attending or did you take these lessons
elsewhere?
1 D Elementary/high school
2D Elsewhere
3D Both
CHECK
ITEM H
Refer to item 41b
If box 4 is marked in item 41b, ASK item 41d.
If not - Is box 2 or 3 marked in item 41b AND
the respondent is under 25 years old?
D No - Skip to item 42a
\3Yes-Askitem41d
41 d. Did you take any of these lessons or classes
in the past year?
115
iDNO
2 DYes
42a. (Have you EVER taken lessons or classes) in
dance, other than ballet such as modern, folk
or tap?
116
1 D No - Skip to item 43a
2 DYes
b. Did you take these lessons when you were -
Read categories. (Do not read category 4 if
respondent is under 25 years old.)
Mark (X) all that apply.
1 D Less than 1 2 years old
2D 12-1 7 years old
3D 18-24 years old
4 D 25 or older
CHECK
ITEM I
Refer to item 42b
Is box 1 or 2 marked in item 42b?
D No - Skip to Check Item J
DYes - Ask item 42c
42c. Were these lessons or classes offered by the
elementary or high school you were
attending or did you take these lessons
elsewhere?
118
1D Elementary/high school
2D Elsewhere
3D Both
CHECK
ITEM J
Refer to item 42b
If box 4 is marked in item 42b, ASK item 42d.
If not - Is box 2 or 3 marked in item 42b AND
the respondent is under 25 years old?
D No - Skip to item 43a
DYes - Ask item 42d
42d.Did you take any of these lessons or classes
in the past year?
119
iDNO
2 DYes
43a. Have you EVER taken lessons or classes in
creative writing?
120
1 D No - Skip to item 44a
2 DYes
b. Did you take these lessons when you were
Read categories. (Do not read category 4 if
respondent is under 25 years old.)
Mark (X) all that apply.
121
1 D Less than 1 2 years old
% 2 D 1 2-1 7 years old
3D 18-24 years old
4 D 25 or older
CHECK
ITEM K
Refer to item 43b
Is box 1 or 2 marked in item 43b?
D No - Skip to Check Item L
DYes - Ask item 43c
43c. Were these lessons or classes offered by the
elementary or high school you were
attending or did you take these lessons
elsewhere?
122 I 1 D Elementary/high school
2D Elsewhere
3D Both
CHECK
ITEM L
Refer to item 43b
If box 4 is marked in item 43b, ASK item 43d.
If not - Is box 2 or 3 marked in item 43b AND
the respondent is under 25 years old?
D No - Skip to item 44a
DYes - Ask item 43d
43d. Did you take any of these lessons or classes
in the past year?
123
iDNO
2 DYes
44a. (Have you EVER taken a class) in art
appreciation or art history?
124
1 D No - Skip to item 45a
2 DYes
b. Did you take this class when you were •
Read categories. (Do not read category 4 if
respondent is under 25 years old.)
Mark (X) all that apply.
125
1 D Less than 1 2 years old
3g 2D 12-1 7 years old
3D 18-24 years old
4 D 25 or older
75
Page 6
FORM SPPA-2 H-9-92)
CHECK
ITEM M
Refer to item 44b
Is box 1 or 2 marked in item 44b?
DNo - Skip to Check Item N
□ Yes - Ask item 44c
44c. Was this class offered by the elementary or
high school you were attending or did you
take this class elsewhere?
iD Elementary/high school
2D Elsewhere
aD Both
45c. Was this class offered by the elementary or
high school you were attending or did you
take this class elsewhere?
130 I iD Elementary/high school
2D Elsewhere
3D Both
CHECK
ITEM P
CHECK
ITEM N
Refer to item 44b
If box 4 is marked in item 44b, ASK item 44d.
If not - Is box 2 or 3 marked in item 44b AND
the respondent is under 25 years old?
D No - Skip to item 45a
D Yes - Ask item 446
44d.Did you take any of these lessons or classes
in the past year?
iDNo
2D Yes
45a. (Have you EVER taken a class) in music
appreciation?
2£iJ 1 D No - Skip to item 46a
2D Yes
b. Did you take this class when you were ■
Read categories. (Do not read category 4 if
respondent is under 25 years old.)
Mark (X) all that apply.
129 I 1 D Less than 1 2 years old
* 2D 12-1 7 years old
3D 18-24 years old
4 D 25 or older
Refer to item 45b
If box 4 is marked in item 45b, ASK item 45d.
If not - Is box 2 or 3 marked in item 45b AND
the respondent is under 25 years old?
DNo - Skip to item 46a
DYes - Ask item 45d
45d.Did you take this class in the past year?
131
iDNO
2 DYes
46a. What is the highest grade (or year) of regular
school your FATHER completed?
132
01 D 7th grade or less
02 D 8th grade
osD9th-11th grades
04 D 12th grade
05 D College (did not complete)
06 D Completed college (4+ years)
07 D Post graduate degree (M.A., Ph.D., M.D., J.D., etc.)
08 D Don't know
b. What is the highest grade (or year) of regular
school your MOTHER completed?
133 1 01 D7th grade or less
02 D 8th grade
03D9th-11th grades
04 D 12th grade
05 D College (did not complete)
06 D Completed college (4+ years)
07 D Post graduate degree (M.A., Ph.D., M.D., J.D., etc.)
08 D Don't know
CHECK
ITEM 0
Refer to item 45b
Is box 1 or 2 marked in item 45b?
D No - Skip to Check Item P
DYes - Ask item 45c
CHECK
ITEM Q
Is this the LAST household member to be
interviewed?
D No - Go back to the NCS-1 and interview the
next eligible NCS household member
DYes - END INTERVIEW
FORM SPPA-2 I2-9-92I
Page 7
The Survey of Public Participation in the Arts has been conducted
in cooperation with a much larger multi-agency data collection
program of the Bureau of the Census. Each cooperating agency has
its own questionnaire for specific questions. General questions
are asked separately and shared. Therefore, these questions are
not included on the special forms for the Endowment's Survey of
Public Participation in the Arts.
The following list names the data that is available for analysis in
combination with the information collected on the questionnaire for
the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts.
A. Geography
1. The following geographic data is available on the
computer tape. It is possible to combine these with the
arts participation data in many different ways including
detailed correlation and regression analyses.
a . Urban
b. Rural (farm, non-farm, 10 acres or more, 10 acres
or less)
c. Population size of place (16 levels of population
subdivision)
d. Description of place (central city of an SMSA,
central city of an urbanized area only, other
incorporated place, unincorporated place)
e. Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (central
city, SMSA-outside central city, outside SMSA)
2. The second group of geographic data that follows is
available in tabular format only and requires a special
contract with the Bureau of the Census. It is not
possible to use the tabular data in more sophisticated
correlations or regression analyses. The subdivision of
the geographic data into the two groups and the
limitations on the use of the second group are imposed by
the Bureau of the Census to maintain the privacy of the
individuals responding to the survey.
a. State (name of state)
b. County (name of county)
c. Metropolitan status of county (in a single county
SMSA, central county of a multi-county SMSA,
suburban county of an SMSA)
d. Status of non-metropolitan counties (with places of
25,000 to 50,000, with places of 10,000 to 25,000,
with urban places but no place over 10,000, no
urban population)
e. SMSA (name of SMSA)
f. Population size of SMSA (5 levels of population
subdivision)
B. Demography
The following kinds of demographic data are available on the
computer tape and permits combination with the arts
participation questions in many different ways including
detailed correlation and regression analysis.
1. Race (White, Black, Other)
2. Origin (20 origin codes including German, Italian, Irish,
French, Polish, Mexican-American, Puerto Rican, Afro-
American)
3. Age
4. Marital Status
5. Sex
6. Relationship in household (husband, wife, son, etc.)
7. Highest grade or year of school attended or completed
8. Combined household income (14 levels of income
subdivision)
9. Number of children in household
C. Housing
Many housing details are available on the computer tape.
Examples of possible housing data that can be obtained are:
1. Type of housing unit
2. Telephone availability
3 . Number of housing units in structure
4. Tenure of living quarters (owned, rented, occupied
without payment of cash rent)
D. Occupation and Employment
The background data collected includes the standard questions
used to develop the Department of Labor's employment and
unemployment statistics. Data is available on the computer
tape that is comparable with the regular federal reports on
occupation and employment. These include:
1. Employment status (labor force status)
2. Reason for unemployment
3. Extent of job search efforts
4. Occupation
5. Type of employing organization
RESOURCES FOR PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE
The following national arts service organizations may provide lists of
consultants or referrals for professional services in the area of research.
Some also offer research publications.
1. American Association of Museums
Technical Information Service and AAM Bookstore
1225 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 289-1818
2. American Symphony Orchestra League
777 14th Street, N.W., Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 628-0099
3. Association of Performing Arts Presenters
1112 16th Street, N.W, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 833-2787
4. International Association of Auditorium Managers
4425 W. Airport Freeway, Suite 590
Irving, TX 75062
(214) 255-8020
5. International Society for the Performing Arts
2920 Fuller Ave., N.E., Suite 205
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
(616) 364-3000
6. League of Historic American Theatres
1511 K Street, N.W, Suite 923
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 783-6966
7. National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
1010 Vermont Ave., N.W, #920
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 347-6352
8. National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies
927 15th Street, N.W, 12th Fl.
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 371-2830
9. National Endowment for the Arts
Research Office
1100 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC 20506
(202) 682-5432
SELECTED GEOGRAPHY DEFINITIONS
Geography
U.S. Census
Division
Description
The U.S. Census Bureau has divided all 50 states in the U.S. into nine
regional divisions: New England, Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic, East
North Central, East South Central, West North Central, West South
Central, Mountain, and Pacific.
State, County
ADI
MSA
(Census-defined)
Defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
"Area of Dominant Influence" - defined by Arbitron as a group of
counties or county parts that define a television viewing area.
"Metropolitan Statistical Area" - an urbanized area such as a grouping
of counties generally with a population of at least 50,000.
Place
(Census-defined)
ZIP Code
(Postal-defined)
Census Tract
(Census-defined)
Cities, towns, villages, boroughs, etc., which may cross county
boundaries. (For example, census data is available on states, counties,
places, census tracts and block groups.)
The standard five-digit ZIP Code denotes the area of the country and
the U.S. Postal Service delivery office for a particular address. There
are approximately 36,000 ZIP Codes in the U.S.
A relatively small unit of geography containing between 2,500 and
8,000 residents. Generally, census tracts do not cross county
boundaries.
Block Group
(Census-defined)
ZIP+4
(Postal-defined)
Census tracts are sub-divided into block groups containing between
200 to 300 households, on average. Block groups are the smallest
geographies for which census data is publicly available.
ZIP+4 is a postal code assigned by the U.S. Post Office which facilitates
address identification and mail sorting. In the ZIP+4 extension, the
first two digits denote the delivery sector, which can be several blocks,
a group of streets, several buildings or a small geographic area. The
last two digits denote a delivery segment within the delivery sector.
The delivery segment can be one floor of an office building, one side of
a street, specific departments within a firm, or a group of Post Office
boxes. Generally, a ZIP+4 contains between 5 to 15 households. There
are over 23 million ZIP+4s in the U.S.
&4
Sampling Error Table
Any value derived from the use of sampling methodologies reflects the "true but unknown" values
which occur in the data. For example, simply because the mean age for survey respondents in a
given area is 46, this number is not absolute. There is variability surrounding this "point estimate" -
since it was derived through sampling techniques and not through a census of the entire area.
Therefore, a standard error must be calculated to define the area surrounding the point estimate in
which the actual "true but unknown" value lies. Sampling error is affected by three variables:
1. the sample size
2. the "level of confidence" desired
3. the sample statistic to be tested
The formulas for computing sampling error and other measures of variability may be found in a sta-
tistics textbook.26 The table below lists sampling error rates for various sample sizes and survey
results at the 95% confidence level.
For example, say that 21.5% of respondents to a survey indicated that they attended at least one
stage play in the past year. If the sample size was 400, and you wish to know the margin of error,
find the "Survey Result" row for "20% or 80%" then move over to the column for "Sample Size" equals
400. The figure you want is 3.92%. Therefore, you can say that the actual number of people in the
population you sampled who attended a play in the past 12 months is 21.5% plus or minus 3.92% at
the 95% confidence level.
Margins of Error for Survey Results
(95% Confidence Level)
Sample Size
Survey Result j 100 j 200 I 300 j 400 j 500 j 600 | 800
1000 I 1500
5% or 95%
10% or 90%
4.27
5.88
3.02
4.16
2.47
3.39
2.14
2.94
1.91
2.63
1.74
2.40
1.51
2.08
1.35
1.86
1.10
1.52
15% or 85%
7.00
4.95
4.04
3.50
3.13
2.86 |
2.47
2.21
1.81
20% or 80%
7.84 j
5.54
4.53
3.92
3.51
3.20
2.77
2.48 .
2.02
25% or 75%
1 8.49 |
6.00
4.90
4.24
3.80
3.46
3.00
2.68 |
2.19
30% or 70%
8.98 ;
6.35
5.19
4.49
4.02
4.18
3.67 |
3.18
2.84^
2.32
35% or 65%
9.35
6.61
5.40
4.67
3.82 \
3.31
2.96 |
2.41
40% or 60%
9.60
6.79
5.54
4.80
4.29
3.92 |
3.39
3.04!
2.48
45% or 55%
! 9.75 1
6.89
5.63
4.88
4.36
3.98 |
3.45
3.08 I
2.52
50%>
! 9.80 !
6.93
5.66
4.90
4.38
4.00 \
3.46
3.10 !
2.53
26A widely used textbook on statistics is Statistics for Business and Economics, by James McClave and P. George Benson,
1985, Dellen Publishing Company, ISBN 0-02-378770-8.
Cf/C-
CENSUS-DEFINED DEMOGRAPHIC COHORTS
In designing arts participation surveys, it is often beneficial to use standard demographic categories
or "cohorts" defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Survey results for a given geography can then be
compared to Census data for the same area. Census data is widely available through libraries and
commercial sources. Census cohorts for age, education, income, occupation, marital status and
race/ethnicity are provided below, along with "alternative" cohorts which may be groupings of census
cohorts or other categories used by researchers.
Census
Cohorts
Alternative
Cohorts
LAge
0-4Yrs.
5-9Yrs.
10-14Yrs.
15-17Yrs.
18 - 20 Yrs.
21-24Yrs.
25 -29 Yrs.
30 - 34 Yrs.
35 -39 Yrs.
40 -44 Yrs.
45 - 49 Yrs.
50 -54 Yrs.
55 - 59 Yrs.
60 -64 Yrs.
65 -69 Yrs.
70 - 74 Yrs.
75 -84 Yrs.
85+ Yrs.
Under 18 Yrs.
18 - 24 Yrs.
25 -34 Yrs.
35 -44 Yrs.
45 -54 Yrs.
55 -64 Yrs.
65 - 74 Yrs.
75+ Yrs.
2. Education
(highest level
completed)
3. Income
(total annual
household
income)
0-8Yrs.
Some High School
High School
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
Under - $5,000
$5,000 - $15,000
$15,000 - $25,000
$25,000 - $35,000
$35,000 - $50,000
$50,000 - $75,000
$75,000 - $100,000
$100,000 - $150,000
Over $150,000
Less Than High School
High School Graduate
Vocational School
Some College/Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Some Graduate Study
Graduate Degree
Under $25,000
$25,000 - $35,000
$35,000 - $50,000
$50,000 - $75,000
$75,000 - $100,000
$100,000 - $125,000
$125,000 - $150,000
Over $150,000
ss
Census
Cohorts
Alternative
Cohorts
4. Occupational
Status
Admin. & Management
Professional Specialty
Technical Support
Sales
Admin. & Clerical
Private Household Occup.
Protective Services
Other Service
Farming, Forestry & Fishing
Precision Crafts & Repair
Machine Operator
Transportation & Moving
Laborers
In-School Full-Time
Working Full-Time (for pay)
Working Part-Time (for pay)
Unemployed/Seeking Work
Homemaker Full-Time
Volunteer Work Full-Time
Retired
5. Marital Status
Married
Single
Previously Married
Married/Life Partner
Single, Never Married
Separated or Divorced
Widowed
6. Race/Ethnicity
White
Black
American Indian
Asian Chinese
Asian Japanese
Asian Indian
Asian Korean
Asian Vietnamese
Asian Other
Pacific Islander
Other
Hispanic*
Hispanic White
Hispanic Black
Hispanic Amer. Indian
Hispanic Asian
Hispanic Other
Non-Hispanic
Alaskan Native
Asian/Pacific Islander
Black/African American
Hispanic/Latino Origin
Native Amer./Amer. Indian
White, Not Hispanic
Other
*independent of race
Bibliography on Public Participation in the Arts
The following bibliography includes publications and reports related to public participation in the
arts, including national and local studies commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts and
various other agencies. Local studies are listed separately at the end for ease of reference.
Publications and Reports on Research
Commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts
Final reports of research projects administered through the Research Division of the National Endowment for the Arts are
available through the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), sponsored by the National Institute of Education
of the U.S. Department of Education. Where applicable, ERIC reference numbers are included in the listings below.
Inquiries concerning the availability of microfishe or paper copies of these documents should be directed to ERIC
Document Reproduction Service, Cincinnati Bell Information Systems (CBIS) Federal, 7420 Fullerton Road, Suite 110,
Springfield, VA 22153-2852. Telephone (703) 440-1400 or toll-free (800) 443-ERIC. Fax number (703) 440-1408.
Abreu, Dan; Friedman, Andrea; Logan, Catrina; Reinhart,
Kay; and Ziff, Charles, Survey of Public Participation in the
Arts: Musical Theatre. Operetta, and Opera Attendees.
National Endowment for the Arts, 1987, (ERIC No. 289760).
Andreason, Alan R. and Belk, Russell W., Audience
Development: An Examination of Selected Analysis and
Prediction Techniques Applied to Symphony and Theatre
Attendance in Four Southern Cities. Research Division
Report #14, National Endowment for the Arts, 1981, (ERIC
No. 283754).
Andreasen, Alan R., Expanding the Audience for the
Performing Arts . National Endowment for the Arts and
Seven Locks Press, Washington, DC, 1991, (ERIC No.
289804).
Blau, Judith R. and Quets, Gail A., The Geography of Arts
Participation: Report on the 1982 and 1985 Survey of Public
Participation in the Arts. National Endowment for the Arts,
1987, (ERIC No. ED289762).
Citro, Constance F, Public Participation in the Arts in
America: A Review of Data Sources and Data Needs. 1990,
Research Division, National Endowment for the Arts.
Cwi, David, editor, Research in the Arts: Proceedings of the
Conference on Policy Related Studies of the National
Endowment for the Arts. December 7-9, 1977, (ERIC No.
ED227023) Includes the following arts participation-related
articles:
Orend, Richard, "Developing Research on the Arts
Consumer"
Andreasen, Alan R. and Belk, Russell W, "Consumer
Response to Arts Offerings: A Study of Theatre and
Symphony in Four Southern Cities" (ERIC No.
ED230450)
Peterson, George L. and Anas, Alex, "A Behavioral
Approach for Assessing the Demands for Cultural and
Artistic Recreational Activities"
Katzman, Natan, "How Broadcasters Assess the Response
to Program Offerings"
Cwi, David, "The Policy Uses of Audience Studies"
Useem, Michael and DiMaggio, Paul, "A Critical Review of
the Content, Quality and Use of Audience Studies"
DiMaggio, Paul J.; Useem, Michael and Brown, Paula, The
American Arts Audience: Its Study and Its Character.
National Endowment for the Arts, 1977.
DiMaggio, Paul J.; Useem, Michael and Brown, Paula,
Audience Studies of the Performing Arts and Museums: A
Critical Review. Research Division Report #9, National
Endowment for the Arts, 1978.
DiMaggio, Paul J. and Ostrower, Francie, Race, Ethnicity
and Participation in the Arts: Patterns of Participation by
Hispanic. White and African- Americans in Selected
Activities from the 1982 and 1985 Surveys of Public
Participation in the Arts. Seven Lock Press, Washington,
DC, 1992, (ERIC No. 293759).
Horowitz, Harold, The American Jazz Music Audience.
National Jazz Service Organization, Washington, DC, 1986,
(ERIC No. ED280757).
Keegan, Carol, Public Participation in Classical Ballet: A
Special Analysis of the Ballet Data Collected in the 1982
and 1985 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts.
National Endowment for the Arts, 1987, (ERIC No. 288756).
National Endowment for the Arts, A Sourcebook of Arts
Statistics: 1991 (1989. 1987). Washington, DC, 1992, 1990,
1988, (ERIC No. ED349240).
National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division,
Surveying Your Arts Audience. Washington, DC, 1985.
National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report
#17, The Arts Public in the South. Publishing Center for
Cultural Resources, New York, 1984. (ERIC No. ED286785)
National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division
Report #4, Arts and Cultural Programs on Radio and
Television. Washington, DC, 1977, (ERIC No. ED165205).
OS.
O
National Endowment for the Arts, "Research on Public
Participation in the Arts: Summary Report on the
December 1992 Conference," also "Conference Overview
and Research Issues," Research Division, 1993.
Orend, Richard J., Leisure Participation in the South 1980:
Volumes I-III. Human Resources Research Organization
and National Endowment for the Arts, 1980, (ERIC No.
ED206521, 2, & 3).
Orend, Richard J., Socialization and Participation in the
Arts. National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, DC,
1989, (ERIC No. ED283768).
Robinson, John P.; Keegan, Carol A., and Triplett, Timothy
A., Survey of Public Participation in the Arts: 1985. Volume
I Project Report. University of Maryland and National
Endowment for the Arts, Washington, DC, 1987, (ERIC No.
289763).
Robinson, John P., Arts Participation in America: 1982-
1992, Prepared by Jack Faucett Associates, Research
Division Report #27, National Endowment for the Arts,
1993.
Schuster, J. Mark Davidson, The Audience for American Art
Museums. Seven Locks Press, Washington, DC, 1991,
(ERIC No. 294780).
West, Jerry, Public Participation in the Arts: Demands and
Barriers. National Endowment for the Arts, 1987, (ERIC
No. ED287764).
Zill, Nicholas and Winglee, Marianne, Who Reads
Literature? The Future of the United States as a Nation of
Readers. Seven Locks Press, Washington, DC, 1989, (ERIC
No. 302812).
Waterman, David; Schechter, Russell and Contractor,
Nashir S., Public Participation in the Arts via the Media.
National Endowment for the Arts, 1987, (ERIC No. 290674).
Other Publications and Reports
on Arts Participation
American Association of Museums, Resource Report, Visitor
Surveys: A User's Manual, by Randi Korn and Laurie Sowd,
1990.
Andreasen, Alan R. and Belk, Russell W, "The Effect of
Family Life Cycle on Arts Patronage," Journal of Cultural
Economics. 6:2, pp. 25-35.
Arts for America/NALAA, The Arts in Rural Areas.
Washington, DC, 1988.
Balfe, Judith H. and Heine, Joni Cherbo, editors, Arts Ed-
ucation Beyond the Classroom. ACA Books, New York, 1988.
Balfe, Judith H. "Social Mobility and Modern Art," Social
Movements. Conflict and Change. Vol. 4 (1981), pp. 235-251.
Bailey, Robert H.; Dixon, Brian; and Courtney, Alice; The
Museum and the Canadian Public. Culturcan Publications,
1974, for the Arts and Culture Branch, Dept. of the
Secretary of State, Government of Canada.
Bamossy, Gary, "Socializing Experiences as Predictors of
Performing Arts Patronage Behavior," Journal of Cultural
Economics. 6:2, pp. 37-43.
Baumol, William J. and Bowen, William G., Performing
Arts: The Economic Dilemma. The Twentieth Century
Fund, New York, 1966.
Blattberg, Robert C. and Broderick, Cynthia J., "Marketing
of Art Museums" in Feldstein, Martin, The Economics of Art
Museums. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1991, pp.
327-346.
Blatti, Jo, editor, Past Meets Present: Essays about Historic
Interpretation and Public Audiences. Smithsonian
Institution Press, Washington, DC, 1987.
Cameron, S., "The Supply and Demand for Cinema Tickets:
Some U.K. Evidence," Journal of Cultural Economics. 10:1,
June 1986, pp. 38-62.
Cornwell, Terri Lynn, Democracy and the Arts: The Role of
Participation. Praeger, New York, 1990.
Cwi, David, "Changes in the U.S. Audience for the Arts,"
Governments and Culture. Association of Cultural
Economics, 1984, pp. 32-42.
Cwi, David, "Market Segments for Theatre: Research to
Increase Arts Participation," Economic Efficiency and the
Performing Arts. Association of Cultural Economics, 1986,
pp. 150-158.
Dickenson, Victoria, "Museum Visitor Surveys: An
Overview, 1930-1990," Cultural Economics. Ruth Towse and
Abdul Khakee, editors, Springer- Verlag, New York, 1992,
pp. 141-150.
DiMaggio, Paul J. and Useem, Michael, "Cultural
Democracy in a Period of Cultural Expansion: The Social
Composition of Arts Audiences in the United States," Social
Problems. Vol. 26, 1978, pp. 179-97.
Evrand, Yves, "The Determinants of Cultural
Consumption," Artists and Cultural Consumer. Association
of Cultural Economics, Akron, OH, 1986, pp. 192-201.
Falk, John H., Leisure Decisions Influencing African-
American Use of Museums. American Association of
Museums, 1993.
Feldstein, Martin, editor, The Economics of Art Museums.
University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1991, "The Museum
and the Public," a panel discussion, Ch. 2, pp. 35-60.
Felton, Marianne Victorius, "Major Influences on the
Demand for Opera Tickets," Journal of Cultural Economics.
13:1, pp. 53-64.
c5o
Felton, Marianne Victorius, "On The Assumed Inelasticity
of Demand for the Performing Arts," Journal of Cultural
Economics. 16:1, June 1992, pp. 1-12.
Fitzhugh, Lynne, "An Analysis of Audience Studies for the
Performing Arts in America."k Journal of Arts Management
and Law. Part I: "The Audience Profile" is in 13:2, Summer
1983, pp. 49-85; Part II: "Market Behavior" is in 13:3, Fall
1983, pp. 5-31.
Gapinski, James H., "Economics, Demographics and
Attendance at the Symphony," Journal of Cultural
Economics. 5:2, pp. 79-83.
Gray, Charles M., "Subsidizing the Arts with Vouchers: A
Case Study of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Arts Alliance,"
1992, unpublished paper.
Harris, Louis, and Associates, Americans and the Arts: A
Nationwide Survey of Public Opinion, periodic surveys,
American Council for the Arts, New York, 1992, 1988, etc.
Heilbrun, James, "The Distribution of Arts Activities Among
U.S. Metropolitan Areas," Cultural Economics 88: An
American Perspective. Association of Cultural Economics,
1988, pp. 33-40.
Heilbrun, James, "Growth and Geographic Distribution on
the Arts in the U.S.," Artists and Cultural Consumers.
Association of Cultural Economics, Akron, OH, 1986, pp. 24-
35.
Hendon, Mary Ann; Richardson, James F. and Hendon,
William S., Bach and the Box: The Impact of Television on
the Live Arts. Journal of Cultural Economics, Special
Supplement, 1985.
Hendon, R. Claude, "A Comparative Study of Leisure
Activities of the Elderly in the Community and in Nursing
Homes," Cultural Economics 88: An American Perspective.
Association of Cultural Economics, 1988, pp. 143-148.
Hendon, R. Claude, "Arts Participation: Comparing the
Elderly and Non-Elderly," Journal of Cultural Economics.
16:1, pp. 83-92.
Hoffman, Miles K. and Fritschner, Linda Marie, "Arts and
Art Audiences: Testing the Market," The Journal of Arts
Management and Law. 14:2, Summer 1984, pp. 5-19.
Hood, Marilyn, "Staying Away: Why People Choose Not to
Visit an Art Museum," Museum News. April 1983, pp.
50-57.
Hood, Marilyn, "Getting Started in Audience Research,"
(Museum News. February, 1986, pp. 25-31.
Horowitz, Harold; Keegan, Carol and Kempnich, Barbara,
LCultural Participation and Geographic/ Population
Schema: From New York City to the Rural Farm," Artists
and Cultural Consumers. 1986, pp. 36-50.
Hughes, Michael A. and Peterson, Richard A., "Isolating
Cultural Choice Patterns in the U.S. Population," American
Behavioral Scientist. Vol. 26, March/April 1983, pp. 459-
478.
Johnson, Alton C. and Prieve, E. Arthur, Older Americans:
The Unrealized Audience for the Arts. Center for Arts
Administration, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1975.
Kangun, Norman; Otto, Gordon and Randall, Dana C,
"Marketing Strategies for Bolstering Symphony Attendance
among College Students," Journal of Cultural Economics.
16:1, June 1992, pp. 25-40.
Katz, Jonathan and Sikes, Torn Fountain, editors,
Consumer Behavior and the Arts, a special issue of The
Journal of Arts Management and Law. 15:1, Spring 1985.
(entire issue).
Kurabayashi, Yoshimasa and Ito, Takatoshi, "Socio-
Economic Characteristics of Audiences for Western Classical
Music in Japan: A Statistical Analysis," Cultural Economics.
Ruth Towse and Abdul Khakee, editors, Springer- Verlag,
New York, 1992, pp. 275-287.
McCain, Roger A., "Game Theory and Cultivation of Taste,"
Journal of Cultural Economics. 10:1, pp. 1-16.
McCain, Roger A., "Reflections on the Cultivation of Taste,"
Journal of Cultural Economics. 3:1, pp. 30-50.
McCaughey, C, A Survey of Arts Audience Studies: A
Canadian Perspective. 1967 to 1984. Research and
Evaluation, The Canada Council, Ottawa, 1984.
Mitchel, Arnold, The Professional Performing Arts:
Attendance Patterns. Preferences and Motives. Association
of College, University and Community Arts Administrators
Inc., Madison, Wisconsin, 1984.
Morison, Bradley G. and Fliehr, Kay, In Search of an
Audience: How an Audience was Found for the Tyrone
Guthrie Theatre. Pitman, New York, 1968.
Morison, Bradley G. and Dalgleish, Julie Gordon, Waiting in
the Wings. American Council for the Arts, New York 1987.
Morrison, William G. and West, Edwin G., "Child Exposure
to the Performing Arts: The Implications for Adult
Demand." Journal of Cultural Economics. 10:1, pp. 17-23.
O'Hare, Michael, "Why Do People Go to Museums? The
Effect of Prices and Hours on Museum Utilization,"
Museum. 27:3, pp. 134-146.
Owen, Virginia Lee and Hendon, William S., editors,
Managerial Economics for the Arts. Association of Cultural
Economics, Akron, OH, 1985. Section on "Measuring Arts
Participation," pp. 181-206 includes the following articles:
Horowitz, Harold, "Measuring Arts Participation in
Canada and the United States"
Kinsley, Brian L., "Cultural Activities Surveys - The
Canadian Case"
Robinson, John P., "Estimating the Public's Exposure to
and Expenditures on the Arts"
Zuzanek, Jiri, "Studies of Arts and Cultural Participation:
Problems and Controversies"
Pankratz, David B., "Arts Policy and Older Adults" The
Journal of Arts Management and Law, 18:4, Winter 1989,
pp. 13-64.
Pankratz, David B. and Morris, Valerie B., editors, The
Future of the Arts: Public Policy and Arts Research.
Praeger, New York, 1990, "Part III: Social Trends and
Research on Public Participation in the Arts," pp. 63-187,
includes the following articles:
Cornwell, Terri Lynn, "Democracy and the Arts: The Role
of Participation"
Shuster, J. Mark Davidson, "Correlates of State Arts
Support: The Geographic Distribution of
Organizations, Artists, and Participation"
DiMaggio, Paul J. and Ostrower, Francie, "Participation
in the Arts by Black and White Americans"
Meyersohn, Rolf, "Culture in the Bronx: Minority
Participation in the Arts"
Keller, Anthony S., "Arts Policy, Cultural Diversity, and
the New Century"
Pankratz, David B., "Arts Policy in an Aging Society"
Also see extensive "Selected Bibliography", pp. 289-310.
Peterson, Richard A. "Patterns of Cultural Choice", special
issue, American Behavioral Scientist. Vol. 26, 1983.
Pommerehne, Werner W and Kirchgassner, Gebhard, "The
Decline of Conventional Culture: The Impact of Television
on the Demand for Cinema and Theatre Performances,"
Economic Efficiency and the Performing Arts. 1986, pp. 44-
61.
Rau, William, "Does Education Lead to Fine Arts
Appreciation?" Artists and Cultural Consumer. Association
of Cultural Economics, 1986, pp. 284-286.
Reed, John Shelton and Marsden, Peter, Leisure Time Use
in the South: Secondary Analysis. National Endowment for
the Arts, 1980.
Robinson, John P. "Cultural Indicators from the Leisure
Activity Survey", American Behavioral Scientist. Vol. 26,
1983, pp. 543-552.
Schliewen, Rolf E., A Leisure Study - Canada 1975. Arts
and Culture Branch, Department of the Secretary of State,
1977.
Schuster, J. Mark Davidson; An Inquiry into the
Geographic Correlates of Government Arts Funding.
National Endowment for the Arts, 1988.
Semenik, Richard and Bamossy, Gary "Methodological
Issues in Arts Marketing Research", Managerial Economics
for the Arts. Virginia Lee Owen and William S. Hendon, edi-
tors, Association of Cultural Economics, Akron Ohio, 1985,
pp. 23-34.
Vaughan, D. Roger, "Marketing: A Positive Approach to
Managing Recreational Use of Sites in the Countryside",
Managerial Economics for the Arts. Virginia Lee Owen and
William S. Hendon, editors, Association of Cultural
Economics, Akron, Ohio, 1985, pp. 143-150.
Waterman, David; Schechter, Russell and Contractor,
Nashir S., "Overcoming Barriers to the Live Arts: Can the
Media Compensate?" Journal of Cultural Economics. 15:2,
pp. 19-40.
Wyszomirski, Margaret Jane and Clubb, Pat, editors, The
Cost of Culture: Patterns and Prospects of Private Arts
Patronage. ACA Books, New York, 1989.
Zuzanek, Jiri and Lee, Marlene, "Social Ecology of Arts
Audiences," Journal of Cultural Economics. 9:1, June 1985,
pp. 65-84.
Selected Local Area
Arts Participation Research
Dane County Arts Study, conducted for the Madison (WI)
Community Foundation by Gene Kroupa & Associates,
1993.
Cultural Participation in the Philadelphia Area, commis-
sioned by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
through the William Penn Foundation, 1985, conducted by
the Survey Research Center, University of Maryland,
(directed by John P. Robinson) (ERIC No. ED263028).
Marketing the Arts in Cleveland: An In-Depth Survey, com-
missioned by the Cleveland Foundation, 1984-1985, con-
ducted by Ziff Marketing Inc., and Clark, Martire &
Bartolomeo, Inc.
Cleveland Arts Marketing Study: The Outer Market, com-
missioned by the Cleveland Foundation, 1985, conducted by
Ziff Marketing Inc., and Clark, Martire & Bartolomeo, Inc.
Bay Area Research Project: A Multi-Cultural Audience
Study for Bay Area Museums, sponsored by the Bay Area
Research Consortium, 1994, research conducted by Museum
Management Consultants, Adrienne Horn, Project Director.
Summary Report: 12 Local Studies of Public Participation
in the Arts. Research Division Report #26, National
Endowment for the Arts, 1993, research conducted by Abt
Associates and AMS Planning & Research Corp. (ERIC No.
ED362452).
Summary Report: Audience Researcb Consortium, (Ontario,
Canada), 1993, (Art Gallery of Ontario, Royal Ontario
Museum, Ontario Science Center, Metropolitan Toronto
Zoo) research conducted by Ernst & Young, funded through
the Ontario Government and the Canada Department of
Communications.
oc
About NALAA's Institute for
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The purpose of NALAA's Institute for Community Development and the Arts is to promote local
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