Massachusetts Artists of all Creative Disciplines invited to do survey

FRAMINGHAM, MA -- Calling all Massachusetts artists working in all disciplines;
STAND UP AND BE COUNTED!

The Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts & Cultural Development, along with the members of the State House Artists Working Group, encourages Massachusetts artists working in all disciplines to answer the Artists Foundation's "Stand Up and Be Counted questionnaire". We urge individuals, businesses, cities, towns, municipalities, and arts organizations to help spread the word about this questionnaire to artists across the Commonwealth. The statewide questionnaire is open to
all: visual, writers, journalist, poets, performing artists, new media artists, craft artists, moving image/film makers, and more.

The questionnaire is online and also can be downloaded at:
www.artistsfoundation.org

(The AF can also mail the questionnaire to those who do not have internet access. 617-464-3559 Please note that most Massachusetts Public Libraries have free internet access)

This privately funded questionnaire tool has three goals and key uses:

1.) It is an online questionnaire tool that can act as a census of individual artists on a state level, local-city/town level, and a discipline level.

2.) It is an online questionnaire tool that can act as an economic impact study of individual artists on a state level, local-city/town level, and a discipline level.

3.) It is an online questionnaire tool that can act a survey and collect data from individual artists of all disciplines in our state.

"I think this is a terrific idea and I'm amazed it hasn't been done before," said Chairman Eric Turkington of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development." We all know that our state's artists
are among the most creative and numerous in the nation. Exactly how numerous is a very important question that Stand Up and Be Counted will be able to better answer."

"I'm thankful for all the people who recognized the need for this survey and worked to make it a reality. I look forward to seeing the results and understanding more about our diverse artist population." said Senator Jim Marzilli, Senate Chairman of the Joint Committee of Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development.

Unlike many studies, all of the aggregate data will be shared. "The questionnaire is designed as an accessible, on-line grass-roots tool that can be shared with, and replicated by, advocacy and service organizations around the country and the world," said David Galiel,Project Developer, who helps organizations adopt Web 2.0/new media tools and technologies. "All of the aggregate data will be released online for free, in a form that will allow others to research and create their own 'mashups' and data representations. They, in turn can freely share the
gathered information with others - while preserving the privacy and data integrity of individual survey records."

It is very important to note that only the aggregate data will be shared. Participants' contact information will not be made public and is highly protected.

This free tool will help artists advocates, arts advocates, and policy makers working on local, state and even national levels in supporting artists. "This questionnaire is a great way to identify more artists in
the Commonwealth who need our support," said State Treasurer Tim Cahill who oversees the State Lottery, which provides tens of millions of dollars each year for arts and cultural programs across the state. "The Stand Up and Be Counted project will help recognize the men and women
who help make Massachusetts a more beautiful place to live."

The data collected will also help support the growth of the creative economy in the Commonwealth. "As part of our ongoing efforts to build a strong presence for the creative economy sector, the Patrick Administration is eager to see the result of the "Stand Up and Be Counted" questionnaire," said Daniel O'Connell, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development. "Once the full scope of this industry is determined, we can work collectively to create the conditions for this industry to expand in the Commonwealth."

Although this questionnaire project is spear-headed by the Artists Foundation, the effort is really a collaborative one. "We are very grateful to all the individuals and organizations who helped with this project especially Springboard for the Arts and the Artists Health Care
Working Group* and we are also thankful to all the individuals and the organizations, such as the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, ArtsUnited/Fall River, the Massachusetts Board
of Library Commissioners, MAASH, and so many others who are helping to get the word out about this questionnaire to artists across the state" said Kathleen Bitetti, artist and executive director of the Artists Foundation.

The State House Artists Working Group was formed in 2007 to explore how the Commonwealth of Massachusetts could better support the artists community. The members of the working group are: the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development, the Joint Committee on Economic
Development and Emerging Technologies, the Joint Committee of Community Development and Small Business, the State Treasurer's Office, the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, and the Artists Foundation.

*The Artists Foundation (AF) has been using the ground breaking 2007 Minnesota study, Artists Count, conducted by Springboard for the Arts & MN Citizens for the Arts as an advocacy tool. However, it became clear that there was a real need to collect Massachusetts artist data.

The Artists Foundation (AF) collaborated with Springboard for the Arts(MN)and the Artists Health Care Working Group to create this new tool. The members of the Artists Health Care Working Group are: 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 by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation and the Commonwealth Health Connector.

Related Link: <http://www.artistsfoundation.org>