Census and Public Use Microdata Samples from the Census (ongoing)

Federal Statistics

Investigator: Bureau of the Census

Population: Artists (as defined by the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system). For more information see: http://stats.bls.gov/soc/soc_i0a0.htm.

Identification method: Survey respondents that spent most of their paid working hours in the past week in an artistic occupation are classified as artists and related workers per the SOC.

Sampling procedure: Multiple efforts are made to survey all persons residing in the United States; thus no sample method is applicable.

N and Response rate: 100 percent, by definition and mandate. However, Census Bureau research demonstrates that the Census falls short of this ideal.

Publication: Ellis, D and J. Beresford. 1994. Trends in Artist Occupations: 1970-1990. Washington D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report 29. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. (Uses 1990, 1980, 1970 data)

Filer, R.K. 1990. "Arts and Academe: The Effect of Education on Earnings of Artists." Journal of Cultural Economics, 14(2): 15-38. (Uses 1980 data)

National Endowment for the Arts. Where Artists Live: 1980. Washington D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report 19. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. (Uses 1980 data)

Filer, R.K. 1986. "The Starving Artists – Myth or Reality? Earnings of Artists in the United States." Journal of Political Economy, 94(1): 175-185. (Uses 1980 data)

Filer, R.K. 1989. "The Economic Condition of Artists in America." In D.V. Shaw et al. eds., Cultural Economics 88: An American Perspective. Akron, Ohio: Association for Cultural Economics. (Uses 1980 data)

Heilbrun, J. 1987. "Growth and geographic distribution of the arts in the U.S." In D.V. Shaw et al. eds., Artists and Cultural Consumers. Akron, Ohio: Association for Cultural Economics. (Uses 1980 data)

Blau, Judith et al. 1983. Why Did John Updike Live in Ipswich? American Sociological Association Paper. (Uses 1970 data)

National Endowment for the Arts. 1981. Artists Compared by Age, Sex and Earnings in 1970 and 1976. National Endowment for the Arts Research Division Report 12. New York: Publishing Center for Cultural Resources. (Uses 1970 data)

Waits, C.R. and McNertney, E.M. 1980. "Uncertainty and investment in human capital in the arts." In W.S. Hendon et al. eds., Economic Policy for the Arts. Cambridge: Abt Associates. (Uses 1970 data)

National Endowment for the Arts. 1980. Artists Compared by Age, Sex, and Earnings in 1970 and 1976. . Washington D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report 12. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. (Uses 1970 census data along with 1976 survey of income and education data.)

Beresford, J and D. Ellis. 1979. Minorities and Women in the Arts: 1970. Washington D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report #7. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. (Uses 1970 data)

National Endowment for the Arts. 1978. Selected Characteristics of Artists: 1970: Self-Employment, Migration, Household and Family. Washington D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report 10. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. (Uses 1970 data)

Ellis, D. 1977. Where Artists Live: 1970. Washington D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report 5. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. (Uses 1970 data)

National Endowment for the Arts. 1976. Employment and Unemployment of Artists: 1970-1975. Washington D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report 1. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. (Uses 1971-1975 CPS data and 1970 Census data)

Santos, F.P. 1976. "Risk, Uncertainty and the Performing Artist." In M. Blaugh ed., The Economics of the Arts. Boulder, Co.: Westview Press. (Uses 1970 data.)

Baumol, William and William Bowen. 1966. "The Performer, The Composer, the Playwright and the Choreographer." Chapter 5 (pp. 99-135) in The Performing Arts: The Economic Dilemma. New York: The 20^th Century Fund. (Uses 1960 data)

Summary: Ellis and Beresford (1994) present a trend report and data analysis using 1970, 1980, and 1990 U.S. Censuses of Population and Housing. For their study, all artists disciplines were investigating, including rarely studied disciplines (e.g., announcers, architects, and designers). The authors provide and excellent discussion regarding the uses of primary data collection, membership surveys, and secondary data collected by Federal agencies.