Articles - 2002
STATEWIDE
PUBLIC OPINION POLL SHOWS SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS
by Colleen Schenck, Executive Director, ACMC
According
to the first-ever statewide public opinion survey, Californians
favor more public funding for the arts and believe that the
arts are vitally important to education and the economy. While
the arts are often characterized as being a frill or a luxury,
the survey reveals that 55% of Californians surveyed felt
that the arts are very or extremely important to them personally,
and 78% of respondents said they are willing to pay $5 more
in state taxes if the money goes directly to the arts.
This landmark
survey offers compelling statistics that counter preconceived
notions about public attitudes towards the arts. "The
arts are much more a part of the daily lives of our citizens
than we thought or were led to believe," said Paul Minicucci,
Deputy Director of the California Arts Council. "And
people want them in the schools." 81% of Californians
think that the arts improve academic performance of children
and more than half the population believes that arts education
is valuable to virtually every important marker for child
development.
Funded
by the James Irvine and David and Lucille Packard foundations,
this study was commissioned by the California Arts Council
and conducted by the BRS Group. 1,200 Californians from around
the state were polled through phone interviews and focus groups
were held in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Fresno. The participants
were chosen to represent California's demographic makeup in
the 2000 census.
The survey's
results were surprising and overwhelmingly positive in their
overall support for and valuation of the arts in California.
In fact, the survey demonstrates that a large percentage of
the population does not think of the arts as frill, but as
a vital link in California's economy and as a significant
force in attracting travel and tourism dollars.
To learn
more about this study, go to the California
Arts Council's website at www.cac.ca.gov.
