Hoping to derive a more accurate picture of the health of the nation’s art sector, Southern Methodist University in Dallas and the Cultural Data Project in Philadelphia announced on Tuesday that they have jointly created a new National Center for Arts Research, a clearinghouse for arts research.
“In today’s competitive environment, arts and cultural organizations, from museums to orchestras, need to do more than create great works of art,†said José Bowen, dean of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist. “Arts organizations must have a more research-driven understanding of their markets and industry trends in order to more deeply engage existing audiences and reach new ones.â€
According to the university, the goal of the new center, which begins operations Wednesday, is to become the leading source of expertise on arts attendance, patronage management as well as the industry’s financial stability. Arts organizations will also be able to compare themselves with similar organizations using an interactive “dashboard†created in partnership with IBM.
