ARTS AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY 6

Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) is a study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry in the U.S., administered by Americans for the Arts (AFTA). The study’s purpose is to gauge the economic impact (jobs, government revenue, household income) of spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations, and the event related spending by their audiences. 

The data collected in AEP6 will be used to show the collective power of the creative economy in Springfield, and will be used to support making the case for public funding, artist grants, and more cultural programming in the City. All SCPI partners will be involved in the collection of this data, as well as other community partners and individuals throughout the City, to ensure equity and representation in our results.

SCPI is participating in AEP6, following participation in AEP5 in 2015, to better understand the impact of the arts, and to most effectively serve our cultural community locally and statewide. 

Our draft timeline: 

February 2022 – sign on to AEP6 with Americans for the Arts (AFTA) 

May 2022 – launch AEP6 surveys at community events 

May 2022 – April 2023 – collect > 800 individual surveys 

June – July 2023 – data analysis by AFTA 

September 2023 – public launch of data and results 

Late 2023 – site visit by AFTA for public presentation of results 

Look for our “street team” in teal, with clipboards, at various events throughout the summer and fall! 

If you want to work with SCPI to administer surveys at an event that you are holding in the community, or if you have questions about AEP6 or the creative economy in Springfield, please contact us at karen@springfieldculture.org. 

The video below is a short training video for administering surveys as part of AEP6.