| ARTS ECONOMY INITIATIVE
The Arts Economy Initiative at the University’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, is currently working on a ten year project on artists, their livelihoods and their contributions to regional and local economies. Our most recent study, Crossover: How Artists Build Careers across Commercial, Nonprofit and Community Work (2006), finds that large percentages of artists in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas create and market their artwork in two or more of the commercial, nonprofit and community sectors simultaneously. Many confirm that their experiences in each sector help them develop different aspects of their art and livelihoods. If money were not an issue, most would elect to work across sectors even more than they now do. The study shows how artists' crossover experiences vary by discipline (musicians, writers, performing and visual artists), age, ethnicity, income, self-employment and location. The study includes numerous recommendations for facilitating crossover. This study was funded by the James Irvine Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Leveraging Investments in Creativity.
Another recent study, Artists' Centers: Evolution and Impact on Careers, Neighborhoods and Economies (2006), argues that cities and towns that have invested in dedicated spaces to nurture artists and bring them together with their publics multiply the impact of charitable and public sector dollars and help to revitalize neighborhoods, as well as creating “more and better” artists. Here, artists come together to vet their work, find encouragement and feedback, view masters in their fields, share studio space and equipment, and interact with audiences. This research was funded by the McKnight Foundation and Markusen’s Fesler-Lampert Chair at the University.
The Artistic Dividend (2003) and The Artistic Dividend Revisited (2004) argue that artists make hidden contributions to regional economies because they are often self-employed and not acknowledged in regional job counts or arts impact analysis. They may export their work by publishing it elsewhere, traveling to perform, selling it over the internet or at high end art fairs, and winning awards and commission from elsewhere. They also, by working on contract, make area non-arts businesses more productive and competitive in many ways – for example, writing, editing, directing and acting in scripts and videos for marketing, designing and writing products and services, improving employee relations through play-acting, enhancing work environments through installations of their work. In addition, they often induce innovation on the part of their suppliers. This under-appreciated role constitutes a strong rationale for public support of the arts and particularly in ways that enable artists to build careers and network with each other.
Current research, The Role of Ojibwe Artists in Cultural, Economic and Community Development, studies how Ojibwe artists (visual, performing, writers and musicians) emerge, build careers, and contribute to community and economic development in six Minnesota regions. Working through site visits and interviews with Ojibwe artists and gatekeepers (both Ojibwe and non-Ojibwe people who control access to arts and cultural spaces and resources), we are recruiting partners, including artists who show an interest in building capacity and mentoring younger artists and gatekeepers who would like to do a better job at incorporating Ojibwe artists and communities in their programming and extend their spaces and resources for this purpose. We plan to write a book and several shorter magazine and journal articles summarizing the advantages and barriers that Ojibwe artists currently face, comparing across these regions and, through secondary research, with other regions of the US. At the end of the research (late spring or summer 2008), we plan a convening of Ojibwe artists and gatekeepers to share findings, give exceptional artists and gatekeepers a chance to share stories and practices, and encourage greater networking among the Minnesota Ojibwe communities in developing arts and cultural talent and facilities as a facet of economic and community development.
The Arts Economy Initiative’s research documents the significance of artists’ presence in metropolitan areas across the US using Census and other data sources over the past few decades. The work shows that artists are relatively footloose and are attracted not only by the presence of other artists and sectors employing artists but also by strong philanthropic institutions at the regional level, a population that patronizes the arts, environmental and cultural amenities and livable neighborhoods with affordable housing. In a forthcoming book, The Distinctive City: Production, Class and Culture, the Initiative team shows that the cities that are successful in “home-growing” artists and attracting and keeping them are not necessarily the largest or fastest-growing metropolitan areas; a set of second tier cities have done very well by cultivating the arts. Many smaller towns and urban neighborhoods have figured out ways of nurturing artists in their midst as well.
The Arts Economy Initiative’s work is tailored around issues of concern to artists, arts organizations, and cultural and economic development policymakers. In addition to our published work, we have given dozens of high profile talks around the US, Europe and Japan, often for large public audiences of mixed interests and some in smaller cities as well as the largest, often involving private consultations with civic and arts leaders in conjunction. Markusen and her work have been extensively cited in various media.
Related publications
Note: The documents below are in pdf format. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your machine to read these files.
Book and monographs
Crossover: How Artists Build Careers across Commercial, Nonprofit and Community Work, 2006 (November). Ann Markusen, Sam Gilmore, Amanda Johnson, Titus Levi, and Andrea Martinez. Minneapolis, MN: Project on Regional and Industrial Economics, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota [418]
Artists' Centers: Evolution and Impact on Careers, Neighborhoods and Economies. 2006 (February). Ann Markusen and Amanda Johnson. Minneapolis, MN: Project on Regional and Industrial Economics, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. [416]
The Artistic Dividend Revisited. 2004 (March). Ann Markusen, Greg Schrock and Martina Cameron. Minneapolis, MN: Project on Regional and Industrial Economics, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. [314]
The Artistic Dividend: The Arts' Hidden Contributions to Regional Development. 2003 (July). Ann Markusen and David King. Minneapolis, MN: Project on Regional and Industrial Economics, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. [415]
Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC) Artist Data User Guide. 2008. Ann Markusen and Greg Schrock. Minneapolis, MN: Project on Regional and Industrial Economics. [419] For further information, contact Judilee Reed, judilee@lincnet.net or Roberto Carabay, rob@lincnet.net.
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Articles and book chapters
"Defining the Creative Economy: Industry and Occupational Approaches." 2008. Markusen, Ann, Gregory Wassall, Doug DeNatale and Randy Cohen. Economic Development Quarterly, Vol. 22, No. 1: 24-45. [268]
"A Consumption Base Theory of Development: An Application to the Rural Cultural Economy." 2007. Ann Markusen. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Vol. 36, No 1: 9-23. This article is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, the Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association. [269]
"Arts and Culture in Urban/Regional Planning: A Review and Research Agenda." 2008. Ann Markusen. Working Paper #271. Minneapolis, MN: Project on Regional and Industrial Economics, University of Minnesota, Revised, May. [271]
"Native American Artists and Their Gatekeepers and Markets: A Reflection on Regional Trajectories." 2008. Ann Markusen, Marcie Rendon, and Andie Martinez. Working paper #275, Minneapolis, MN: Project on Regional and Industrial Economics, University of Minnesota, January. [275]
“Organizational Complexity in the Regional Cultural Economy.” 2007. Ann Markusen. Working paper #276. Minneapolis, MN: Project on Regional and Industrial Economics, University of Minnesota, December. [276]
“Consumption-Driven Urban Development.” 2007. Ann Markusen and Greg Schrock. Working paper #273. Minneapolis, MN: Project on Regional and Industrial Economics, University of Minnesota, August. [273]
“The Distinctive City: Divergent Patterns in Growth, Hierarchy and Specialisation.” 2006. Ann Markusen and Greg Schrock. Urban Studies, Vol. 43, No. 8: 1301-1323. [265].
“Human versus Physical Capital: Government’s Role in Regional Development.” 2006. Ann Markusen. In Jorge Martinez and Francois Vaillancourt, eds. The Role of Government in Regional Economic Development, forthcoming. [160]
“The Artistic Dividend: Urban Artistic Specialization and Economic Development Implications.” 2006. Ann Markusen and Greg Schrock.Urban Studies, Vol. 43, No. 10: 1661-1686. [263]
“Urban Development and the Politics of a Creative Class: Evidence from the Study of Artists.” 2006. Ann Markusen. Environment and Planning A, Vol. 38, No. 10: 1921-1940. [266]
“The Urban Core as Cultural Sticky Place.” 2007. In Dietrich Henckel, Elke Pahl-Weber, & Benjamin Herkommer, eds. Time Space Places. Berlin: Peter Lang Verlag, p. 173-187. [161]
“Targeting Occupations in Regional and Community Economic Development.” 2004. Journal of the American Planning Association, Vol. 70, No. 3: 253-268. [248]
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Essays, short articles and op eds
“Embedded Support for Artists: An Economist’s View.” 2005 (November). Ann Markusen. Commissioned essay for the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy, Vanderbilt University. [163]
“Building the Creative Economy for Minnesota's Artists and Communities.” 2006 (March). Ann Markusen. CURA Reporter, University of Minnesota, Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, Summer: 16-25. [75]
“An Arts-Based State Rural Development Policy.” 2006. Ann Markusen. Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy. Vol. 36, No. 2: 47-49. [270]
“Artists as Community Developers.” 2005. Ann Markusen. Progressive Planning Magazine, No. 1: 1, 7-9. [73]
“Reaping the Hidden Artistic Dividend.” 2003, Ann Markusen. Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 3. [538]
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