Report: A Window into the Lives of US Artists and Their Livelihoods
Like many workers in the U.S., artists often make ends meet in non-traditional and resourceful ways, holding multiple jobs, cycling in and out of roles, and engaging in artistic practice through self-employment.
These ways of working in turn may limit artists' financial security and their ability to access workplace protections and employer benefits. They also make it difficult to identify artists in existing research. To better serve artists, we must see the full complexity and reality of how they earn a living and piece together support for their creative lives.
Until recently, the information available about artists in the U.S. workforce offered a picture of the workforce—including who artists are and how they make ends meet—that was narrower than funders and partners need to provide effective support. To study this sector, researchers must ask: Who is an artist? How many artists live in the U.S.? Is being an artist a job, even if it doesn’t pay the bills? The questions are complicated ones. But without a clear picture that shows the nuances of how artists work and live in the U.S., it’s impossible to shape policies and provide resources that can make their lives—and the lives of non-traditional workers—better.
Program Director, Arts and Culture
Mellon Foundation
“Artists are essential to how we understand and shape the world around us, yet we have long lacked a complete picture of who they are and how they make their lives and work possible.”
With the understanding that artists’ work can take many shapes and unfold over many timelines, Mellon commissioned NORC at the University of Chicago to design a National Survey of Artists that casts a broad definition of who an artist is and offers a representative snapshot of the many ways artists live and work.
The survey data helps us understand key details about artists’ lives and livelihoods in the US, including:
- How artists are employed (whether self-employed or employed by an entity)
- What percentage of artists hold multiple jobs
- What other jobs, roles, and responsibilities artists hold (from teachers and veterans to caretakers)
- What economic vulnerabilities artists face
By capturing the full scope of artists’ work lives—from employment patterns to financial vulnerability—the study provides the field with evidence to inform smarter investments, public policy, and support systems that can strengthen creative labor for the long term.
About the National Survey of Artists
The National Survey of Artists was designed and conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago with funding and research support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The outputs of the project include the survey instrument, a public use dataset, technical documentation of the survey process, and a topline report.
The topline report presents findings from the survey, providing the distribution of artists’ responses to a series of questions about their artistic practices, work and jobholding, earnings, wellbeing, and personal characteristics. The results are representative of a population of artists and culture bearers who have a dedicated professionalized practice.