Detroit conducting arts census in effort to get more funding for its creative workforce

(Detroit Free Press) The Detroit Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship and the Marygrove Conservancy have joined forces to conduct a citywide arts-focused census in an effort to learn how many Detroiters make part or all of their living from the arts.

The information will be used to seek more arts funding for the city of Detroit and assist artists from every field in finding and maintaining sustainable work.

"The city was without an office of arts and culture for more than 20 years, so there's been no accurate reflection of just how huge our creative workforce is," said Rochelle Riley, Detroit's director of arts and culture. "The best way to gain support for it and to give it the passion and and attention it deserves is to prove how large it is. What we want to do with Marygrove Conservancy is take that information and go after funding the artistic workforce like nobody's business. By the time this census is done, I bet we'll find our creative workforce is as large as our automotive, if not bigger."

The census is a groundbreaking move for a major American city. Quantifying the number of artists living and working in a large city could lead to shaping major changes in the way the country addresses artists and their needs. .............(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/arts/2021/07/18/arts-census-has-goal-securing-more-funding-detroit/7900125002/