ARTS COUNCIL SURVEY SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND CITY’S CREATIVE ASSETS

The
survey can be found at www.somervilleartscouncil.org/creativesurvey, is open to all residents and will be available through December
6. It takes only 12 questions and five minutes to complete.

"Much of our success at the Somerville
Arts Council relies on us listening to the creative community in Somerville,"
said Mayor Joe Curtatone. "This survey, the data we will gain and the completed
report will help the Council and the City understand how much the creative
community contributes to Somerville's economic vitality. We've always known
we have a wealth of creative people in our City and now we will be able to
quantify that information." 

"Our programming seeks to reflect the
rich cultural diversity of the City and the artists, designers, and performers
who have made it home. Similarly the policies we push at the City level attempt
to be responsive to the needs of local artists," said Gregory Jenkins, Director
of the Somerville Arts Council.

As Somerville approaches a crossroads regarding the type of change and development it
expects, surveys and reports will help City officials and directors understand
the needs of the creative community and identify points of leverage for policy
intervention. Toward that goal, the City is launching this asset survey and
analysis with the UMass Center for Policy Analysis.

Although there is no rigid definition of the creative economy, it essentially
encompasses those businesses, organizations and individuals who produce and
distribute cultural goods, services and intellectual property-from art, film,
photography and music to architecture, advertising and jewelry design.

"Somerville is well-known for attracting and supporting artists, but we are
always looking for new and innovative ways to expand our programs and policies,"
Jenkins said. "While economic impacts are an inherently crude measure of
artistic expression, they are an important part of the larger narrative of how
creative activity increases cultural and economic well-being. This report will
provide more clarity about the depth and breadth of the cultural communities
economic assets, which can be leveraged to support not only their community but
also the City at-large."

The survey is available at www.somervilleartscouncil.org