Author: Ruttenberg, Friedman, Kilgallon, Gutchess and Associates

Publication Year: 1977

Media Type: Report

Summary:

Results of a survey of the work experience of performing artists, defined as members of the five principal arts unions: Actors' Equity, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the Screen Actors Guild, the American Guild of Musical Artists, and the American Federation of Musicians. Prepared under contract 99-7-264-08-8 to the Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, for the Human Resources Development Institute, AFL-CIO, in cooperation with the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO. Report dated Dec. 6, 1977 and revised Feb. 16, 1978.

Abstract:

Results of a survey of the work experience of performing artists, defined as members of the five principal arts unions: Actors' Equity, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the Screen Actors Guild, the American Guild of Musical Artists, and the American Federation of Musicians. Prepared under contract 99-7-264-08-8 to the Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, for the Human Resources Development Institute, AFL-CIO, in cooperation with the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO. Report dated Dec. 6, 1977 and revised Feb. 16, 1978.

In general the results of the survey confirm the proposition that the employment problems in the performing arts are different from those facing other workers. Further, the results explode some popularly held myths about work in the performing arts, such as those concerning the nature of second jobs and the level of earnings in such jobs. They also indicate that there is a serious under-utilization of the special talents and training and abilities of the nation's performing artists - an under-utilization, which if corrected, could result in economic gain to the nation. (p. 2-3)

[See similar survey conducted in 1981, Working and Not Working in the
  Performing Arts: A Survey of Employment, Underemployment and 
 Unemployment Among Performing Artists in 1980.]

CONTENTS
Summary of survey.
Purpose.
Results.
Description of methodology.
Analysis of survey.

Section 1. Union affiliation and principal profession:

Membership in a performing arts union.
The performing arts as a principal profession, avocation or secondary profession.
Desire to spend more time in the performing arts.
Source of individual income.
Full-time versus less-than-full-time work in the performing arts.

Section 2. Employment as a performing artist:

Number of days worked in the performing arts in 1976.
Number of days worked in the performing arts in 1976 compared to 1975.
Where performing artists worked in 1976.
Number of employers in 1976.

Section 3. Employment in other fields not as a performing artist:

Employment in other fields in 1976.
Reasons for working outside the performing arts.
Employment related to the performing arts in 1976.
Reasons for working in arts-related jobs.
Number of days worked in arts-related jobs in 1976.
Employment in 1976 in jobs not related to the performing arts.
Number of days worked in non-arts-related jobs in 1976.
Type of non-arts-related work.
Number of employers outside the performing arts in 1976.
Employment in non-arts-related jobs in 1976 compared to 1975.

Section 4. Unemployment:

Whether unemployed during any weeks in 1976.
Number of weeks unemployed in 1976.
Unemployment in 1976 compared to 1975.
Number of different periods of unemployment in 1976.
Collection of unemployment compensation in 1976.
Number of weeks collected unemployment compensation in 1976.
Number of different periods collected unemployment compensation in 1976.
Ineligibility for unemployment compensation; reasons.

Section 5. Earnings:

Total household income in 1976.
Individual earnings in 1976.
Sources of total earnings in 1976.
Total earnings for 1976 compared to 1975.
Participation in making of sound recordings.
Receipt of royalties from sound recordings - currently.
Receipt of royalties from sound recordings in 1976.

Section 6. Education and training:

Classes in school related to work in the performing arts.
Level of courses related to the performing arts; number of semester hours.
Participation in organized study, training or classes; number of years; average time spent during the year.
Participation in organized study, training or classes in 1976; average time spent in 1976; comparison with previous years.
Financing of studies in 1976; amount spent.
Participation in comprehensive employment and training act (CETA) programs; relationship to performing arts.
Participation in other federal government-supported employment or training program; relationship to performing arts.

Section 7. Personal characteristics:

Age of respondents.
Sex of respondents.
Race of respondents.
Membership in the Spanish-American community.
Highest level of school completed.
Number of years worked in present performing arts profession.
Previous professions.
State of permanent residence.

Appendix:
     A. Survey questionnaire.
     B. Comments from survey respondents.
     C. Number of interviews on which results are based.
     D. Zip codes used to define certain geographic areas.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Artists-Resources for