Our Research
Telling the story of arts and culture in our region is a critical part of our work.
Our research informs community leaders, elected officials, decision-makers, voters, and arts supporters about current trends and data regarding our arts sector.
If you would like to stay updated on sector research, please subscribe to our mailing list.
2022
Impact to Insight: Findings from the Arts Community Survey
Every two years, the Arts Council conducts the Arts Community Survey, formerly known as "Having Our Say." This survey is a temperature check on the health of our sector, tracking the challenges, accomplishments, and aspirations of artists and arts and culture organization personnel living and working in the region with both quantitative and qualitative measures. Due to the pandemic, this is our first community survey since 2018. This report was funded by the Henry L. Hillman Foundation.
2022
Arts & Economic Prosperity 6
The Arts & Economic Prosperity® series – also known as AEP – is conducted approximately every five years by Americans for the Arts to collect economic impact data on the nonprofit arts and culture industry nationwide. The Arts Councils has participated on behalf of Allegheny County arts organizations since 2005, and this year joins 386 other communities nationwide. AEP6 research includes the collection of audience intercept surveys at local arts events and an economic impacts survey of local arts organizations. The yearlong project begins in the summer of 2022 and results in a report of national and local findings, which will be made public in fall of 2023.
2021
Audience and Visitor Attitudes About Engaging with Pittsburgh’s Arts Sector During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
From September 2020 to September 2021, the Arts Council led Pittsburgh's participation in the COVID-19 Audience Outlook Monitor, an international survey created by research firm WolfBrown. The longitudinal survey was specifically designed for arts organizations to glean information from their audiences on their opinions on reopening, reengaging with arts organizations, health and safety, engagement in online and virtual programming, attitudes about future attendance and spending, and more. This report summarizes Pittsburgh's data and can be used by all regional arts organizations. This project was generously supported by the Richard King Mellon Foundation and the Henry L. Hillman Foundation.
March - April 2020
COVID-19 Arts Community Impact Survey
The rapid spread of COVID-19 in early 2020 created a global health and economic crisis, which caused severe and unanticipated impacts for nonprofit organizations across the country. The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council partnered with a group of local funders in March 2020 to conduct a “COVID-19 Impact Survey for Arts Organizations” to better understand how Southwestern Pennsylvania's nonprofit arts and culture community was affected during the immediate days of the pandemic. The survey was also used by funders to build a response that addressed both short-term and long-term needs. The survey was distributed on March 27, 2020 to more than 200 arts and culture organizations across Southwestern Pennsylvania.
2020
Culture Counts
Every five years, the Arts Council measures the health of Greater Pittsburgh's arts and culture sector and releases its findings in the "Culture Counts" report. This report compares our region with the arts and culture sectors in nine benchmark locations, thanks to data from SMU DataArts, in addition to data from Southwestern Pennsylvania.
2019
Wages, Benefits, and the Arts
"Wages, Benefits, and the Arts" provides a glimpse into employment practices of arts and culture nonprofits in the Greater Pittsburgh region. The report presents data on salaries for 12 primary jobs in 33 organizations in our arts sector. The Arts Council was able to compare these findings with those from benchmark regions, thanks to collaboration with local arts agencies in Cleveland and Columbus, OH, and Indianapolis, IN. You’ll also find data on benefits offered by arts employers and their approaches to salary and benefits increases, performance review, and talent recruitment and retention.
2018
Racial Equity and Arts Funding in Greater Pittsburgh
"Racial Equity and Arts Funding in Greater Pittsburgh" reveals trends over 15 years in funding by race as well as recommendations for more equitable funding of the arts in our region. This report offers analyses of the degrees to which private and public funding of the arts has been equitable by race over time of not. The research reflects work of the ALAANA-majority Learning & Leadership Committee, and includes recommendations on how equity can be addressed through revisions to grantmaking policies and procedures. Other recommendations focus on broader policy shifts and special programs for BIPOC organizations.
2018
Having Our Say, Revisited: 2018 Arts Community Survey
This bi-annual survey contains findings on the challenges and accomplishments of area artists, and arts and culture organizations. It reveals how they are adapting their practices to survive and thrive, aspirations they have for the future, and their views of how the Arts Councils programs and services can help.
2017
From Pointe Shoes to Pierogies: Impacts of the Arts in Allegheny County
"From Pointe Shoes to Pierogies: Impacts of the Arts in Allegheny County" was produced by the Arts Council in partnership with Americans for the Arts (AFTA), the national service organization for local arts agencies. Every four years, AFTA conducts a nationwide Arts and Economic Prosperity study. "From Pointe Shoes to Pierogies" features data collected by the Arts Council and findings from AFTA's Arts and Economic Prosperity 5 (AEP5), for which AFTA partnered with 250 partners representing 341 communities, including Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
2016
Culture Counts
Every five years, the Arts Council measures the health of Greater Pittsburgh's arts and culture sector and releases its findings in the "Culture Counts'' report. This iteration of the Culture Counts report builds on criteria established in a 2014 report by the National Center for Arts Research, called the NCAR Arts Vibrancy Index, as well as data from SMU DataArts.
2014
The Unsung Majority Consortium of Small Arts Funders
This report is an in-depth look at the assets, accomplishments, and challenges of small to midsize performing arts organizations in Greater Pittsburgh. It also offers new strategies for management and funding.