Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 Study for Greater Danbury
Do the arts contribute to our prosperity? Of course, they do, and we’re gathering the data to prove it! Beginning in May, the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut will survey art and culture lovers in 2022. We join nearly 300 study partners across the country for a research project led by Americans for the Arts. The Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 study (AEP6), which is supported by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Office of the Arts, will be conducted throughout Greater Danbury and across the state. Our goal is to collect at least 800 surveys within the 10-town region represented by Western Connecticut Council of Governments: Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, and Sherman.
About the Study
Calling All Arts & Culture Groups
We’re looking for arts and culture groups to help raise awareness and take part in survey collection. All partners, big and small, will impact the research and findings. Our aim is to recruit as many arts and culture partners as possible to represent every town — the more organizations that participate, the better.
Cultural Alliance partners will receive exposure on all marketing and promotion efforts for the study. They will also be the first to receive a copy of the report.
Calling Volunteers!
Do you have a passion for the arts? Would you like to help support arts and culture in the Greater Danbury area? Come volunteer with us! We need individual volunteers to help conduct the study. It’s a great opportunity for artists and art lovers alike to connect with and support arts and culture organizations in your local area.
These are anonymous, single page surveys that ask event attendees about their spending habits before, during and after the event, a few things about attendance, and some demographic details. Our goal is to gather between 20-30 surveys per event, with no more than 50.
When & Where?
We’re collecting surveys at events throughout the year until April 2023. Typically, the time commitment will be 2-3 hours. Most events happen on the weekend or weekday evenings. Events take place at arts or cultural organizations within the towns of Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, and Sherman. Find out more!
If this appeals to you, email Emily Denaro or complete the form here. We will set up a time for training and get you scheduled!
Thanks To Our Partners!
- Bethel Arts
- Bethel Jazz
- Brookfield Arts Commission
- Brookfield Craft Center
- Danbury Cultural Commission
- Danbury Music Centre
- Edmond Town Hall
- Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center
- Poet Laureate, Town of Ridgefield
- Ridgefield Arts Council
- Ridgefield Theater Barn
- Thrown Stone Theatre
- Town of Newtown, CT – Economic and Community Development Department
FAQ
“Who can take part in the AEP6 study?”
The research will use a broad definition of the nonprofit arts and culture sector, based on the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (the coding system the IRS uses to characterize tax-exempt organizations) to determine participant eligibility. Eligible types of organizations, departments, divisions, programs, and facilities include:
- Traditional nonprofit arts and culture organizations (e.g., museums, theaters, etc.)
- Municipally owned and municipally operated presenting facilities or institutions (e.g., a city-operated facility)
- Unincorporated community arts and culture organizations (e.g., a community theater)
- Arts programs embedded in non-arts organizations (e.g., an arts program in a church, library, or senior center)
- Living collections such as botanical gardens, zoos, and aquariums
- Historical societies and other historical or historic preservation organizations
- Private arts councils (and cultural alliances, etc.)
- Municipal arts agencies (e.g., an arts commission or a department of cultural affairs Study partner should complete the survey for their organization
- In short, if it displays the characteristics of a nonprofit arts and culture organization and has an identifiable budget/attendance and leadership, they encourage study partners to include them.
- INELIGIBLE: For-profit/commercial businesses and individual artists are EXCLUDED from the methodology for this study.
Are the economic impact surveys the same for all organizations?
No. Small organizations ($50k or less operating budget) will answer fewer questions and need to provide fewer details than large organizations. Large organizations will be asked to provide a bit more detail. The entire organizational survey is streamlined significantly from past AEP studies and will use logic (e.g., skipping and branching) so that smaller organizations will only be asked for top-line data.
As a partner organization, how much time will this take?
It differs for each partner and largely depends on your abilities. Helping to promote the study throughout the year takes the least amount of time. We appreciate help with conducting the study at one or more events during the year.
The Value of the Arts for the Economy
Arts advocates know the arts provide tremendous societal benefits. But the economic impact of the arts resonates best with policymakers and the budgets they control. Every arts advocate should have the best economic research available to make the case for better public policy. Data continues to show that arts and culture are vital to local economies. By surveying communities now, especially as we work through a pandemic, we can continue to gather data that proves the arts are worthy of support from government, businesses and individuals interested in strengthening our region. When the study is complete, we will receive a unique economic impact report customized for our region. No other report provides insights of this nature.
Previous Studies
The Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut participated in the Americans for the Arts study in 2010 and 2015 in partnership with the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County, which serves lower Fairfield County. The current study, AEP 5, is limited to state-level and county reporting, but the Cultural Alliance needs local information from an authoritative source to make the best case to our policymakers at all levels of government in Western Connecticut. Thanks to the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Office of the Arts and their funding support – we can conduct a study for our region.
AEP5 demonstrated that the nonprofit arts in the U.S. were a $166.3 billion industry in 2015 — $63.8 billion in spending by arts organizations, and an additional $102.5 billion in event-related spending by audiences. This economic activity supported 4.6 million jobs and generated $27.5 billion in government revenue. The arts, unlike most industries, leverage additional spending by their audiences — $31.47 per person, per event (beyond the cost of admission) on meals and beverages, retail shopping, transportation, and lodging. AEP6 is our opportunity to show updated findings that are customized for your community.
Economic Prosperity
By every measure, the arts provides economic prosperity for America. According to the latest study, nonprofit arts generated $166.3 billion of economic activity in 2015.
BILLION In event-related expenditures by their audiences
BILLION In spending by Arts & Cultural Organizations
BILLION generated in revenue to local, state, and federal governments
MILLION jobs were supported
Americans for the Arts’ fifth economic impact study of the nation’s nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and their audiences. The study is the most comprehensive of its kind, detailing arts in 50 states and the District of Columbia.