This report analyzes data from the 1982, 1985, 1992, 2002, and 2008 Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA). Analyses focus on differential arts participation by race/ethnicity and the effect of race/ethnicity on arts participation. Descriptive and inferential analyses explore trends in arts participation by race/ethnicity across the…

This report presents the key findings from the National Endowment for the Art's Survey of Public Participation in the Arts. The survey was conducted in May 2008, and it asked a large, nationally representative sample of adults (18 and above) about their participation in arts events and activities over the previous 12 months. Among the findings:…

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) reports that for the first time in over a quarter-century, literary reading has risen among adult Americans, with measurable increases among all groups represented in this comprehensive national survey. Combined with general population growth, higher reading rates have expanded literary readership by 16.6…

The Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPAs), conducted for the National Endowment for the Arts, have shown a steady decline in the rates of adult attendance at most "benchmark" arts events--specifically, classical music and jazz concerts, musical and non-musical plays, opera, and ballet performances--as well as declines in other forms…

This report examines arts participation in the ten largest metropolitan areas in the United States using data from the 2002 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts. These data indicate that, in general, these metropolitan regions tend to be more alike than different with respect to arts participation patterns. Analysis reveals that while…

This report examines arts engagement in ten key states in the U.S. by analyzing data from the 2002 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA). It is organized into ten state profiles that summarize key demographic characteristics, the arts landscape, and public participation in the arts. Because the regions profiled here are not a random…

What percent of Americans have been exposed to arts education? Has it changed over time? How do demographic characteristics correlate with arts education? What is the state of arts education in U.S. schools? These research questions are the focus of this report, which is presented in two parts. Using data from the Surveys of Public Participation…