Help us make the invisible- VISIBLE!

"Individual artists, of all disciplines, are often an invisible population to our policy makers and leaders. Current creative economy studies--and, for that matter, studies on the art world--do not adequately, if at all, measure the important contributions artists of all disciplines make, not only to the creative economy, but to our society. Individual artists of all disciplines are the foundation that makes our society and the creative economy thrive and grow. Without the individual artists of all disciplines, there would be no art of any kind to present and experience. There would be no creative economy. It is that simple."

Kathleen Bitetti, Artist & Executive Director of the Artists Foundation

Greetings! The Artists Foundation has been using the ground breaking 2007 Minnesota study, Artists Count, conducted by Springboard for the Arts & MN Citizens for the Arts, to advocate to the public policy makers in Massachusetts about our population. That study was instrumental for our advocacy in changing a key regulation in the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Law. However, it became clear that we needed to collect our own Massachusetts data.

The Artists Foundation (AF) in collaboration with a wonderful team (including input from Springboard for the Arts) has created an online questionnaire to collect much needed information about our population. We are using a broad and inclusive definition of artists working in all disciplines. It encompasses: visual artists, musicians, composers, writers, poets, playwrights, new media artists, film makers, crafts people, actors, singers, performance artists, graphic designers, lighting designers, dancers, choreographers, and the like.

The STAND UP AND BE COUNTED online questionnaire is divided into three sections: Part One: Census and Key Data; Part Two: Survey; Part Three: Economic Impact. If possible, please answer all three sections. However, if you can only fill out one section, please make every effort to complete ALL the questions in Part One: Census and Key Data. (NOTE that 2006 income/expense data is asked for- so we recommend that you find your 2006 Taxes to reference in case you can't remember that info of the top of your head!)

Thanks again for helping us better advocate for our population!

WE ALL NEED TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED!

Kathleen Bitetti, Project Leader Artist & Executive Director of the Artists Foundation

David Galiel, Project Developer Nonprofit Web Consultant & Musician

PLEASE also help us spread the word to other MA artists and encourage them to fill out this online questionnaire.

• View and send out the Official State House Press Release on Stand Up & Be Counted
• Email them and direct them to http://artistsfoundation.org/ (Click here for a Text to cut and paste into your emails)
• Print out a PDF flyer and share it with others (give it out at any events you are having or are attending)
• Link your website and/or your organization's website to the Artists Foundation's website at http://artistsfoundation.org/ (Click here for a short Text to put on your website with the link to the AF website)
• Reach out and become a Technology Buddy to artists who might not have computer access or have "old" computers.
• Have a "Stand Up and Be Counted" Event/Gathering with the main goal to have people fill out the on-line questionnaire

If you are a member of the press and/or from another state, and would like more information about this online questionnaire, please contact us at afinfo@artistsfoundation.org or by phone at (617) 464-3559.
Note: Email is the best way to reach us.

Privacy Policy:

The Artists Foundation is committed to safeguarding your privacy online. We adhere to an ethical and legal obligation to respect the privacy of all participant information by protecting and maintaining the confidentiality of information derived from those filling out this online questionnaire. We will use our best efforts to ensure that the information you submit to us remains private. The data we collect will not be sold, traded or rented for commercial purposes. We intend to use, disseminate and publish aggregate data only, for research, presentation and advocacy purposes. With your permission only, we will contact you directly if there is a free program and/or organization you might benefit from. Our data collection vendor adheres to the US Department of Commerce's Safe Harbor Privacy Principles, as well as the Privacy Rule and the Security Rule provisions of the HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 for the handling of Protected Health Information (PHI). For more information or details, please email us at afinfo@artistsfoundation.org

Acknowledgements and Thanks

Almost all of the questions in Part One and all of the questions and language in Part Three are taken from the 2007 Minnesota Artists Count study to enable us to be able to compare data. We would like to publicly thank Laura Zabel of Springboard for the Arts for her help and for sharing their survey questions with us. Section Two is the result of many months work by the Artist Health Care Working Group: the Artists Foundation, Health Care for All, Health Law Advocates, the Access Project, the Insurance Partnership, the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, the Massachusetts Hospital Association, and the four Commonwealth Care health plans: Boston Medical Center Health Net Plan, Neighborhood Health Plan, Network Health, and Fallon Community Health Plan. Input was also given on Section Two by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation and the Commonwealth Health Connector.

This online questionnaire was privately funded.

Our online survey tool Partner is SurveyGizmo.  Survey Gizmo is an artist-led company.

©2009 The Artists Foundation
516 East Second St. #49 Boston MA, 02127