Arts Professionals

	Key Findings Data Highlights – Focus Group Findings Arts Administrators The recruitment process for the arts administrator focus groups took into consideration geographic, demographic, urban or rural, gender and ethnic differences, as well as the various arts disciplines. Focus groups took place in Northeast, Central and Southeast Ohio, with a total of 29 participants. The following are some themes that emerged from their discussions. Arts administrators function as managers, grants writers, fundraisers, marketing officers, publications designers, mentors, agents, promoters, facilitators, educators, counselors, social workers and sometimes janitors for their organizations. They support and manage devoted staff and volunteers to ensure that their organizations function effectively. Within their communities, they serve on boards, planning committees and as volunteers for a variety of organizations. They work with community agencies and form partnerships with schools, community centers, daycare centers, home-school groups, nursing homes, juvenile court systems, hospitals, churches and other social service agencies. They believe there is a lost generation of arts supporters due to the lack of arts programming and opportunities in schools. They see public education as part of their primary focus, and feel they must continue to work with schools to nurture students' creativity. They defend innovative methods for getting people in the door, arguing that establishing a comfort level for the first experience will bring an audience back for more. "Whatever type of outreach you can imagine, get them into your buildings, get them into your spaces," said one arts administrator. "You can get them to come back once you bring down some of those walls." Arts administrators recognize the importance of informal marketing as well as easy-to-understand, jargon-free information. Both urban and rural participants feel that word-of-mouth and one-on-one marketing are important for successful connections between community residents and arts organizations. In general, they believe people tend to be passive receivers of promotional information instead of active seekers. They value technology, specifically email, and feel the Internet is a good tool for publicizing events and for staying informed about trends in the field. Regarding the future, they feel that one challenge will be to develop balanced boards that can generate dollars and support artistic products. Another challenge is to successfully articulate that experiencing art requires an investment of time and that this investment has a return – it is not only for the elite. They feel that people will commit the time and partake of the product if arts organizations commit to providing links to entertainment. "The educational element is easier to put forward," one administrator explained. "But you have to balance it with entertainment." Some arts administrators find it difficult to think about their organization in five years, but most are committed to being a part of their organization well into the future. Arts Educators The recruitment process for the arts educator focus groups took into consideration geographic, demographic, urban or rural, gender and ethnic differences, as well as the various arts disciplines, education level taught and public or private school. Focus groups took place in Northwest, Central and Southwest Ohio with a total of 29 participants. The following are some themes that emerged from their discussions. Many arts educators do not see their profession or the arts in general as being valued within the schools. They often do not have assigned classrooms and their art rooms tend to be inadequate. Some are required to work between schools, with a large number of students. One arts educator works in two schools and teaches 1,000 students per week. Another works at four schools. Many arts educators feel they are not valued as professionals because of their perceived inability to increase proficiency test scores. They feel they are viewed as paraprofessionals, required to baby-sit students and to create bulletin boards or artistic additions to the schools hallways. They sense a conservatism among parents and administrators regarding arts education programming, and feel that such conservatism prevents them from stretching students' imaginations and stifles creativity. One teacher received hate mail for putting on plays that some individuals thought to be too progressive. Arts educators are strategic collaborators and often work with civic organizations, artists and private industries to bring students' artwork into the local community. Examples of community collaborations include student arts projects such as stained glass, photography and paintings for buildings, including historical societies, banks, malls and government centers. Many arts educators welcome technology, such as using the Internet for educational programming and e-mail service and listservs for networking with peers. They believe that technology has allowed them to present material in a more relaxed and didactic way, with greater emphasis on discovery and learning. However, some do not feel confident with the use of technology. Overall, arts educators seem optimistic about the future of arts education. They see a need for the arts to be taken more seriously in education, but doubt that this will occur due to increased emphasis on proficiency tests scores and tighter education budgets. Despite some expressed hardships, arts educators are pleased with their profession and intend to remain in the field. Artists The recruitment process for the artist focus groups took into consideration geographic, demographic, urban or rural, gender and ethnic differences as well as the various arts disciplines. Focus groups of individual artists were held in Northeast, Northwest and Southeast Ohio, with a total of 29 participants. The following are some themes that emerged from their discussions. Artists believe there is a social responsibility that comes with their profession. They feel there is a power that art can have on an individual and community, and that the arts promote self-expression and build self-esteem. Many artists also teach art because this philosophy leads them to work with children, at–risk individuals, individuals with disabilities and older adults. Many work with arts organizations, nursing homes, schools, hospitals, social services agencies and other community-based organizations. They believe in equal access to the arts for all people regardless of age, race, economic status or ability. Artists often feel isolated from the communities in which they work. They tend to feel that people have misconceptions or hold negative stereotypes about them. They often struggle between community projects and personal work. One artist from Northwest Ohio dedicated time to creating public artwork with children, which left him little time for his own work. Many artists find it difficult to receive financial support for their work and often do not receive adequate compensation to cover the various costs associated with each discipline. Filmmakers spoke about the expense associated with making a film, and choreographers spoke about the cost of space to perform a piece once created. Some art forms lend themselves to collaborations; others do not. In general, artists feel they have become more entrepreneurial and business savvy in marketing themselves or their artwork. Many view the Internet as a great tool for communication and explore ways to use technology to market their work. However, some have not ventured into the world of e-commerce. Artists from Southeast Ohio spoke about the number of craft and traditional artists in the area, the rural nature of the community, and how far away they were from a metropolitan area. They also spoke about Appalachia's economic and environmental difficulties. For example, a recent flood there caused serious damage that resulted in financial problems for schools, and therefore, the arts were not at the forefront of people's minds. Artists from Northeast Ohio spoke about using art to address larger community issues and that the arts should be accessible to all people. Many of these artists were involved with residency activities and worked with children. They also talked in-depth about how the arts bring neighborhoods and communities together and felt the arts played a large role in the revitalization of Cleveland. Total Employment Figures and Salaries for Arts Professions in Ohio Occupation Number Employed in Ohio Average Annual Salary Architects* 2,650 $52,430 Landscape Architects* 840 $52,980 Fine Artists including painters, sculptors and illustrators* 350 $34,180 Multi-Media Artists and Animators* 780 $33,900 Art, Drama and Music Teachers, Postsecondary 1,530 $42,040 Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary 150 $48,950 Curators, Archivists, Museum Technicians and Conservators 480 $36,310 Writers and Authors* 1,500 $37,100 Photographers* 2,230 $22,300 Film and Video Editors* 350 $34,610 Artists and Related Workers 5,800 $30,130 Designers includes fashion, industrial, and layout artist. 8,900 $32,130 Interior Designers 1,060 $28,140 Music Directors, Singers, Composers and Related Workers 220 $24,540 Musicians, Instrumental 1,720 $42,530 Dancers and Choreographers 600 $21,050 Producers, Directors, Actors and Other Entertainers 600 $21,050 *Information based on the 1999 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for Ohio. Otherwise, based on 1997 statistics. US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. This table does not include arts administrators in professions such as development, marketing or operations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not list such professions separately for the arts industry. This chart also does not include salaries and total figures for arts educators who teach at primary and secondary schools. For this information, visit the Ohio Department of Education website. Further Information