Artists Training and Career Project (1990)

Columbia University Research Center for Arts and Culture

Investigator: Joan Jeffri, Columbia University Research Center for Arts and Culture

Population: Actors, painters, and craftspersons

Identification method: Nationwide population identified from lists provided by local, regional and national agencies that served actors, painters, and/or craftspersons.

Sampling procedure: The sampling frame for craftspersons and painters was developed from directories obtained from local, regional, and national agencies. A random sample of 4,195 craftspersons was selected from the 41,705 names gathered. A random sample of 2,000 painters was selected from 18,329 names generated. Actor’s names were obtained through Actor’s Equity (4,133), and other membership lists (3,200). Actor’s Equity provided random sample, so the entire sample was used. The Non-Actor’s Equity membership lists were reduced to 2,000. Names were merged and purged to avoid duplication. 6,133 were chosen after further adjustments and questionnaires were mailed.

N and Response rate: Craftspersons, 33 percent; Painters, 48 percent; and Actors, 30 percent (31 percent from Actor’s Equity Members and 26 percent from other lists).

Publication: Jeffri, J. 1994. The Actor Speaks. Westport, CT.: Greenwood Press.

Jeffri, J. and D. Throsby. 1994. "Professionalism and the Visual Artist." European Journal of Cultural Policy 1: 99-108.

Jeffri, J. 1993. The Painter Speaks. Wesport, CT.: Greenwood Press.

Montgomery, S.S. and M.D. Robinson. 1993. "Visual Artists in New York: What’s Special About Person and Place?" Journal of Cultural Economics, 17(2): 17-40.

Jeffri, J. 1992. The Craftsperson Speaks. Wesport, CT.: Greenwood Press.

Jeffri, J. 1990. The Artists Training and Career Project. New York: Research Center for Arts and Culture/Columbia University.

Summary: Using a survey and 150 oral histories, this study investigated the training and career development patterns of actors, painters, and craftspersons.