Survey of Public Participation in the Arts 2008 [United States]

Produced By: National Endowment for the Arts, 2008, Washington, D.C.

Author: National Endowment for the Arts

Abstract (CPANDA): This data set offers information on Americans' participation in the arts, including ballet, opera, plays, museums, and concerts, during 2007. The sixth in a series of national studies on arts participation sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts since 1982, the 2008 SPPA was conducted by the Census Bureau as a supplement to the May 2008 Current Population Survey (CPS). Respondents were asked a core set of questions about their participation in, and frequency of attending, art performances and events in the following categories: jazz music, classical music, opera, musicals, plays (nonmusical), ballet, other dance, art museums, arts-crafts fairs, and historical park/monument sites. The questionnaire also included questions about exposure to the arts via the media, both broadcast and recorded. Other questions measured the amount and type of leisure reading in which respondents engaged in the last year, measured separately for plays, poetry, novels and short stories. A series of questions measured art making and performance. Questions were also asked about training and exposure to the arts, musical and artistic preferences, length of travel to artistic events, school-age socialization in the arts, and computer usage related to artistic information.

Methodology (CPANDA) : The sample was selected using a stratified multi-stage design and drawn from Census Bureau population counts. All non-institutionalized adults living in the U.S. were eligible. Rather than attempt to interview all adults in the household, the 2008 SPPA randomly sampled adults in selected households, and accespted proxy responses for spouses or partners. The Current Population Survey is an on-going national household sample survey of about 60,000 eligible households every month.