by Hans Eisenbeis
WHAT’S HAPPENING
- In June 2008, the public radio show Studio 360 teamed up with the Opinion Research Corporation to conduct a survey that asked: If you could trade your job to become an artist with no reduction in pay, would you do it? Surprisingly, only 51% would. 48% said they would not.
- Demographically, there were some interesting variances. More men than women would trade places, 71% of all African Americans would prefer to be an artist, while Millennials with college degrees were the least likely to switch up. Southerners also seemed more interested in becoming artistic than folks from other parts of the country (Studio 360 6.20.08).
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
- It only seems like everyone has a blog and a recording studio and a portable easel. But a broad scientific survey, sampling 1,000 random Americans, proves that’s simply not the case. Only half of all adults idealize the creative life of writers, painters, sculptors and musicians. The other half is happy living the non-artistic life.
- Conversely, “the starving artist” is a cliche for a reason: Most artists would do almost anything for a living wage. Except give up their art.
- In an informal survey of its listeners, the arts-heavy program found a whopping 90% of its audience would trade the day job for a life in art.
