Andrew Taylor on the Business of Arts & Culture
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Artists crossing over (no, not into the afterlife)
Posted: March 1, 2007
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If you need any further evidence that the distinction between nonprofit, for-profit, and informal/community arts isn't a particularly relevant distinction, a quick look at this report out of the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs should do the trick. The report by Ann Markusen et al, Crossover: How Artists Build Careers across Commercial, Nonprofit and Community Work, tracks the rampant sector-hopping that constitutes the lives of most working artists.
Says the report:
Surprisingly large percentages of artists split their arts time among the three sectors. Overall, 39% spend most of their arts time (65% or more) in the commercial sector. Another 19% do no commercial work, and 42% engage part-time in commercial artwork. Smaller shares of artists spend most of their arts time in not-for-profit (public and nonprofit) sector work (29%), and 55% report working part-time in that sector. Only 6% devote most of their art time to the community sector, but 69% work in community arts at least some number of hours.
Interestingly, artists found different aspects and benefits to working in different sectors -- commercial, nonprofit, and community -- and made the most of those benefits by jumping between them. Again from the report:
More artists rank the commercial sector highest in offering greater understanding of artistic and professional conventions, broader visibility, networking that enhances artwork opportunities, and higher rates of return. Artists rank the not-forprofit sector highest for increasing aesthetic satisfaction, exploring new media, collaborating with artists across media, and satisfying emotional needs. The community sector ranks highest as a place to enrich community life, affirm cultural identity, and pursue political and social justice goals.
So, if arts and cultural managers are really in the business of advancing art (which at some point involves supporting and advancing artists, one would think), a less sector-insular approach seems necessary. How can we foster opportunities for artists across sectors and organizations? How can we ensure we're providing the best opportunities our particular sector can provide (and allowing other sectors to do what they do best)? And, most notably, are the nonprofit arts in the business of supporting artists at all?
Much to chew on. And this report offers some thoughtful background and context upon which to chew productively.