Lexington, KY - In March of 2009, the National Endowment for the Arts published the study: Artists in a Year of Recession: Impact on Jobs in 2008. Key findings from this study indicate that like the rest of the workforce artists are facing increases in unemployment.
On closer examination, the study elucidates some disturbing facts. One, that the rate of unemployment in the creative industries grew more rapidly in the United States than it did for workers as a whole. Two, that those working in the arts were more inclined to leave the profession - specifically citing that the overall workforce grew by 800,000 people from the fourth quarter of 2007 to the fourth quarter of 2008, whereas the artist workforce shrank by 74,000 workers during that same timeframe. And finally, that the rate of unemployment for artists was comparable to the overall workforce (6.1 percent), but far higher than the "professional" workforce (3.0 percent), in which category all artists are grouped.
Why is it not a surprise that the recession is hitting the creative industries harder than most? Despite overwhelming evidence, far too many cannot depart from that longstanding misconception that the arts are a non-essential or superfluous component of our communities - that the arts are a gift, and that the work done by musicians, artists and writers is a labor of love and therefore not really the same as other more vital professions.
According to Lori Meadows, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council, while those in the arts are facing unemployment, there has been, at the same time, an increase over the last 12-18 months in the number of requests for artists to donate their time, performances and artwork for free.
Kentucky Arts Council Resolution on Fair Compensation
In fact, over the summer, the Kentucky Arts Council passed a resolution in support of the working artist. This "Resolution on Artists' Compensation" solidifies a commitment to artists working and living in Kentucky. It reads:
The Kentucky Arts Council believes that artists should be fairly compensated for their work. Requests for donations for artwork, performances or products, and other business practices not in keeping with the Kentucky Arts Council values statement, are not supported by this state agency.
"While this resolution seems to be stating the obvious, it is a constant challenge to educate the public and organizations that seek the services of artists that workers in the creative industry should be paid as those in any other profession," said Meadows. The resolution also supports one of the main tenets of our agency: that artists live and work in a supportive environment."
To understand precisely what impact the arts have in our local communities, Arts Kentucky worked with Americans for the Arts to compile details on the number of arts jobs found in each Kentucky Legislative District.
According to this Creative Industries Report, as of January 2009, there were nearly 686,076 businesses in the United States involved in the creation or distribution of the arts, and 1,340 of those businesses were located in Kentucky Congressional District 6. Nationally, over 2.8 million people were employed by these businesses, with nearly 5,300 of those jobs in Central Kentucky.
Those arts businesses range from non-profit museums, symphonies and theaters to for-profit film, architecture and advertising companies and include individuals working as technicians, marketing and public relations staff, designers, education staff and more. These arts-centric jobs encourage local spending, generate government revenue, and have become the cornerstone of tourism. More importantly, these jobs support household income and the economy just as other jobs do.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
The stimulus package signed into law on February 17, 2009 included $50 million to support the preservation of jobs in the arts sector. Specifically, the law requires that these funds "be distributed in direct grants to fund arts projects and activities, which preserve jobs in the non-profit sector threatened during this economic downturn."
NEA's eligibility limitations included salary support for one or more positions that are critical to an organization's artistic mission and that are in jeopardy or have been eliminated as a result of the current economic climate. Also included are fees for previously engaged artists and/or contractual personnel to maintain or expand the period during which such persons would be engaged.
Approximately $664,276 have been issued by the Kentucky Arts Council, the Southern Federation for the Arts (a regional non-profit agency serving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee), and the National Endowment for the Arts. These funds will preserve jobs in Kentucky that are threatened by the current economic downturn.
"We were fortunate to have these resources from the NEA to fund those organizations that demonstrated the strongest need and best plan to sustain jobs or pay for artists' fees," said Meadows.