2010 ARTS ADVOCACY SURVEY

1. 2010 ARTS ADVOCACY SURVEY Welcome to the Web teleconference. Our session will begin shortly. If you have not already dialed in via phone, please call 1 866 275 3495 then enter *4671867* on your phone keypad.

2. 2010 ARTS ADVOCACY SURVEY Executive Summary of Findings September 2010 Tennesseans for the Arts

3. To document what the arts constituency expects of public officials in Tennessee. • To assess current levels of advocacy activity in the arts community. • To provide an avenue for TFTA member input. • To spark thinking about how to enhance advocacy efforts. About the Survey: Goals

4. Survey of arts constituents • Administered in July and August of 2010 • Responses recruited by TFTA and its partners • 20 questions asked via Web survey • Anonymous (to encourage candor) • Administered by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) About the Survey: Methods

5. Who responded? 1,061 Survey Respondents Statewide

6. Who responded?

7. Who responded? Respondents by County 64 counties - more than two thirds of the state – participated. 0 1-5 6-10 11-30 31-194 total # of respondents per county

8. Who responded? Respondents by County WEST 26% of TN population 25% of survey respondents MIDDLE 36% of TN population 29% of survey respondents EAST 37% of TN population 42% of survey respondents 5% of survey respondents did not identify their county. 0 30 60

9. Who responded? Respondents by County Volunteer arts Individual artist supporter or 16% patron 13% Civic organization Art-related 2% business 4% Other business 4% Arts School or organization school district 40% 11% N/R 10%

10. Arts supporters vote! Respondents by County

11. Arts supporters vote! Respondents by County Source: Division of Elections, State of Tennessee

12. Arts support earns votes. Respondents by County

13. Arts support earns votes. Respondents by County A candidate’s support for the arts… …affects my vote. 95% Doesn’t Affect Vote (2.5%) Not Sure or N/R (2.5%)

14. Survey participants put Tennesseans to work. Respondents by County Excludes responses from schools or volunteers to ensure comparability. No multipliers are used, so these are conservative estimates. Does not reflect total economic impact of the arts in TN.

15. The arts are essential to Tennessee communities. Respondents by County Average ratings among all respondents. Scale: 1 = not important 4 = very important.

16. Arts education is a consensus value. Respondents by County Respondent rating scale: 1 = not important 4 = very important

17. The arts build a positive image for Tennessee. Respondents by County Respondent rating scale: 1 = not important 4 = very important

18. State funding for the arts is a consensus value. Respondents by County Should the state of Tennessee invest public dollars in the arts? Agree 97% Disagree (1.5%) Not Sure or N/R (1.5%)

19. State funding for the arts is a consensus value. Respondents by County Average Rating Respondent rating scale: 1 = strongly disagree 4 = strongly agree

20. What arts supporters want from candidates: Respondents by County % Rating as Important or Very Important

21. Top messages for electeds: Respondents by County • The arts are critical to education • The arts build strong communities, enrich our lives and are an important part of Tennessee's heritage • The arts make Tennessee a desirable place to live, conduct business and raise families • The arts are an economic engine and catalyst • Creativity and innovation are essential

22. Top messages for electeds: Respondents by County Education and the arts cultivate the critical, creative thinking that supports innovation, renewal, and progress. We need to invest in these areas, celebrate them, and develop smart, healthy, open-minded young people to lead this country into the future. Supporting the arts makes good business sense. Millions of dollars in revenue are brought into the state because of fine arts, popular music, theater, and other groups around the state. The history of Tennessee is a living testament to the importance of the performing and visual arts to its people. America's most marketable asset is creativity.

23. Dissenting voices: Respondents by County Art has no place in politics. I have a degree in art, so obviously art is part of me, but I will join no art groups that get grants from the government. Keep everyone's tax money out of the arts.

24. Perceptions of elected officials: Respondents by County How supportive of the arts is your... Average ratings. 1 = highly opposed 5 = highly supportive.

25. Perceptions of elected officials: Respondents by County Respondent ratings: 1 = highly opposed 5 = highly supportive

26. Arts advocacy practices: Respondents by County Average frequency among survey respondents. 1 = Never 5 = Always

27. Top advocacy challenges: Respondents by County • Limited awareness by the public or elected officials about the value of the arts • The arts are regarded as less important than other issues • Negative perceptions about the arts • How? Need advocacy knowledge or skills • Not enough time

28. Top advocacy challenges: Respondents by County With the economic downturn putting such a strain on public budgets, a lot of people feel that arts funding should be secondary to other, "more pressing" needs. Providing the necessary data to those who want real numbers about the economic impact of the arts. Everyone thinks its everyone else’s job. People think artists are looking for handouts and that money contributed to the arts goes to supporting people who don't want to work for themselves. The perception that the arts are for the benefit of the wealthy.

29. Suggestions for TFTA: Respondents by County Please stay in contact with your TFTA members. Communicate frequently. It would be nice if TFTA arranged to travel to places in the state. I would be happy to host a reception and invite board members and staff of arts orgs in our county. I think hearing from TFTA about upcoming issues and action items would be beneficial. Include us more. If TFTA does workshops for arts volunteers I would be very interested in participating. Doing a candidates survey would be helpful. Become more involved with mandated curriculum in the schools.

30. Suggestions for TFTA: Respondents by County Give us support material with figures and percentages...real numbers that can be used in conversation. Not sure if you have this already but a "kit" that I could give to a Board member would be helpful. TN is a very long state. It would be nice if advocacy events could occur all over the state instead of just in Nashville. Spoon feed us each step. We are willing, we just don't understand the system. We don't have the time to figure it out and don't want to embarrass ourselves, our organizations or our elected officials. We are willing and passionate. Point us in the right direction. More information on Arts Advocacy day. I always seem to find out about it either 1 or 2 days before.

31. Other sentiments: Respondents by County • Appreciation for the survey. • Appreciation for TFTA: “You do a tremendous job.” • “Stop playing music to cows.”

32. Available in the data file: Respondents by County • Verbatim comments • Advice for TFTA • Advocacy strategies • Advocacy challenges • Messages for electeds • Detailed tables

33. 2010 ARTS ADVOCACY SURVEY