The Cultural Data Project is an emerging national model for data collection for the arts and cultural sector. It provides free tools to easily track trends over time and compare against others. Learn what it has revealed about the impact of the arts in other communities and how it will be used in Michigan to demonstrate the value of arts in our state.

1. ArtServe Michigan
Advocate. Support. Connect.
– ArtServe is the leading statewide advocatefor arts and
culture in Michigan.
– ArtServe Michigan equips and engages a growing
grassroots network of advocates for arts, culture and arts
education in Michigan.
– Artists and arts and cultural organizationscontribute
significantly to Michigan's economic vitality. ArtServe
programs connect you to resources, information and
networksneeded to remain competitive and expand support
for our advocacy work.

2. Advocate. Support. Connect.

3. Emerging national standard serves 3 audiences
To strengthen the national nonprofit arts and cultural
sector by collecting and disseminating comprehensive,
high quality longitudinal data that supports fact-
based decision-making in three key ways:
Arts and cultural organizations improve their financial
management and services to their communities.
Researchers, advocates and policy makers are better
able to tell the story of the sector’s assets, contributions,
and needs.
Funders can more effectively plan for and evaluate their
individual and collective grantmaking activities.

4. CDP: An Emerging National Model for Data
Collection
States in operation
States working to launch CDP
States that have expressed interest
Washington
Maine
Montana North Dakota Minnesota Vermont
Oregon
Idaho New Hampshire
Wisconsin New York
South Dakota Massachusetts
Wyoming Michigan Rhode Island
Connecticut
Iowa Pennsylvania
Nebraska New Jersey
Nevada
Ohio Delaware
Utah Illinois Indiana
West Maryland
California Colorado Virginia
Virginia Washington DC
Kansas Missouri Kentucky
North
Tennessee Carolina
Arizona Oklahoma Arkansas South
New Mexico Carolina
Mississippi
Alabama Georgia
Texas
Louisiana
Alaska
Florida
Hawaii

5. Why CDP? To make a better case and deepen
understanding of arts and cultural sector
 Pennsylvania funders/arts groups launched CDP in
2004, after 3 years of development – arts groups insisted
on a better way to collect and send information
 Council of Michigan Foundations, state arts council
(MCACA) and ArtServe asked arts groups in 2008 if they
want CDP – hear back YES!
 In 2009, Gov. Granholm proposed $0 to MCACA – one
month later, Advisory Council decides to launch CDP

6. Made Possible through the Leadership of:
ArtServe Michigan (Intermediary)
Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs
Battle Creek Community Foundation
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Council of Michigan Foundations
Frey Foundation
Irving S. Gilmore Foundation
MASCO Corporation Foundation (Lead Challenge Grant)
The Skillman Foundation
Southfield Community Foundation
The Michigan CDP is operated by The Pew Charitable Trusts

7. State funding for arts cut 91% in 9 years
MCACA Grant Funding: 2002 to 2011
$30,000,000
$24,653,342
Grant Dollars Awarded
$25,000,000
$20,000,000
$12,183,628
$15,000,000 $10,556,931
$7,774,156
$10,000,000
$2,353,358
$5,000,000
$0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Fiscal Year

8. Michigan CDP: The Basic Features
 Arts and cultural groups enter historic programmatic and
financial data into the online database after the close of
each fiscal year
 Users can generate 77 different trend and comparison
reports to benchmark performance
 Phone/email Help Desk support, appointments with
financial consultants, and training available
www.MiCulturalData.org

9. CDP: Access to 77 Annual, Trend and Comparison
reports

10. Share results consistently
 Two tier review – computer and human –
means the data are better than ever and levels
the playing field for smaller organizations
 Over 200 funding programs nationally require
or recommend CDP reports in their applications
 10 Michigan funders are accepting or requiring
the CDP as part of their grant applications

11. CDP: Generate Instant Funder Reports for Grant

12. Streamlined Funder Reports

13. Why is CDP Important Now?
 Provide financial management and operational
capacity tools to arts and cultural organizations
 Provide comprehensive, comparable data to
funders about their grantees and applicants
 Measure the art and cultural sector’s
contributions to Michigan’s economy
 Make the case for supporting the cultural
sector as an investment that supports retaining
our young people and rebuilding the economy

14. Robust Data for Research, Advocacy and
Policy
Types of Research and Reports Possible:
Broad analysis or overview of the cultural sector
Economic impact analysis
Regional cultural planning
Economic development planning
Needs assessments (sector and disciplines)
Organizational health and capacity

15. CDP Data in Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance 2006 P
Cultural Sector by the Numbers
14,000 employees
12 million cultural visits per year
17,000 volunteer positions; 3,800 board members
730,000 memberships/subscriptions; 270,000 individual contributions

16. CDP Data in Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance 2006 P
Employment & Compensation:
The sector is a significant employer, but compensation is low

17. CDP Data in Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance’s
2008 Portfolio Report
Arts are vibrant — 15 million total visits per year
And valuable
45% of income is contributed
…but vulnerable
40% of cultural organizations operate at a deficit

18. CDP Data in the Philadelphia Theatre Alliance’s
Philadelphia’s Professional Theatres: A Snapshot
 Annual increase in the
number of performances
 Steady decrease in the
total attendance per
performance

19. CDP Data in the Arts & Humanities Council of
Montgomery County’s Let’s Start with a Dollar

20. CDP Data in the Philadelphia Inquirer:
Protests Mount Against Arts Sales Tax
Philadelphia Inquirer, September 24, 2009
Photo: Jason Melcher (Protests mount against arts sales tax), Philadelphia Inquirer, September 25, 2009
“Using figures gleaned from the Pennsylvania Cultural Data
Project, researchers from the alliance contend that the proposed tax
would only raise about $13 million annually...”

22. Using CDP data in Southeast Michigan
 CASM and Arts Alliance previously used one-
time surveys, now have annual counts
– Tracking attendance – are audiences growing or
shrinking? What is market share by discipline?
– Tracking funding trends – how is economy affecting
individual donors, corporate contributions and
foundations
– Understanding the sector – what sizes and disciplines
are here and how do they compare to other regions?

23. CASM 2011 Cultural Census
Results
 Wednesday, October 5 from 3:00 – 5:00pm
Village Theatre of Cherry Hill, Canton
 Results of surveys and research about how
nonprofit cultural institutions are part of the
community landscape

24. What number would help you tell the impact of the
arts and creativity in Michigan?
 Wages Employment Taxes
 People served Students’ Grades # Volunteers