The following report aggregates and synthesizes the findings from a Fast Response Survey deployed by Creative Generation on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 in response to a field-wide call for funders of arts education, primarily in the United states but also abroad, to respond to the rapidly changing needs of the field in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic.
After completing a brief literature review and survey of similar initiatives in the philanthropic, arts/culture, education/youth development sectors, the survey instrument was developed and opened for four days. It closed at 11:50pm EDT on Saturday, March 21, 2020 receiving 271 unique and validated responses. The methodology employed for this survey is outlined on page 5.
The key findings – which are explored in more depth on the following page – are as follows:
Shifting funding to benefit the most financially vulnerable members of the arts education community: teaching artists, independent contractors, and freelance educators by providing direct-to-individual, one-time grants, and shifting the long-term structures and broadening criteria for grants which support – financially and through wraparound services – their ability to fill their unique role in the ecosystem, potentially through the formation of a union or WPA-style intervention.
Addressing immediate needs of individuals and organizations, including increased funding; adapting services, pedagogy, and educational techniques for digital learning; managing changing finances and budgeting; and developing and implementing organizational continuity plans.
The survey tool was divided into four distinct sections: 1.) contact information of the survey completer, 2.) the preferences of changes to funding offered in the arts education field, 3.) the preferences of changes to the supports offered by funders to the arts education field, and 4.) an open-ended response to capture miscellaneous ideas from the field.
Within each section, several indicators were ranked by respondents in order of priority, which illuminates the immediate, medium, and long-term needs of individuals and organizations. Additionally, respondents provided numerous ideas for financial support and services, which would be beneficial; an analysis identifying common themes was conducted and is presented in each section.
Finally, considerations for future research are outlined in the final section of this report.