Research

Research into the value and impact of the arts is a core function of the National Endowment for the Arts. Consistent with its founding legislation, the agency supports projects that encourage public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the arts, including surveys, research, planning, and publications.

Arts Research & Data

Measuring the Arts
The National Arts Statistics and Evidence-based Reporting Center (NASERC) is an online hub for monitoring the U.S. arts ecosystem through a series of national indicators, and for accessing data-driven guides and reports aimed at arts practitioners. See NASERC's launch webinar.

National Archive of Data on Arts Culture (NADAC)
An online repository of arts and cultural datasets, for analysis by scholars, arts managers, and policy leaders. A webinar tour is now available.

Surveys of Arts Participation
For decades, working primarily with the U.S. Census Bureau, the NEA has cultivated and promoted nationally representative data about arts participation.

Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account (ACPSA)
From 2012 to 2025, the NEA partnered with the Bureau of Economic Analysis (U.S. Department of Commerce) to provide annual reports of the economic impact of arts and culture in the United States.

Research Publications
NEA-produced in-depth reports and analyses of research topics in the arts, such as:

Arts Data Profile Series (archived)
Collections of statistics, graphics, and summary results from data-mining about the arts spanning 2013-2024. Examples include datasets from the Survey for Public Participation on the Arts (SPPA), the Arts Basic Survey (ABS), the American Community Survey (ACS), and more.

Research Grants in the Arts Study Findings
Working papers, publications, and presentations that so far have resulted from NEA Research Grants in the Arts funding.

Research Labs
Information on the NEA's current Research Labs, conducting long-term research on the arts' contributions to health, the economy, and education.

Grants

The NEA’ Research Awards cover two funding opportunities:

Research Grants in the Arts: Support for research studies that investigate the value and/or impact of the arts, either as individual components of the U.S. arts ecology or as they interact with each other and/or with other domains of American life.

Research Labs: Transdisciplinary research teams investigating the value and impact of the arts.

Initiatives

Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network
An initiative of the NEA in partnership with the U.S. Department of War and Veterans Affairs that seeks to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, as well as their families and caregivers. Creative Forces is investing in research on the impacts and benefits—physical, social, and emotional—of these innovative treatment methods. Visit arts.gov/CreativeForces to learn more about the research associated with Creative Forces.

Sound Health Network
From 2020-2025, the Sound Health Network (SHN) promoted and expanded public knowledge and awareness of music's impacts on health and wellness. SHN was a partnership of the NEA with the University of California, San Francisco. Watch the Sound Health Network Shorts, a series of videos spotlighting the intersections of music, science, and health.

Arts & Human Development Task Force (archived)
From 2011-2023, this federal interagency task force encouraged research on the arts and human potential.

Research Stories

Quick Study Podcast: This monthly audio feature uses research to explore the arts sector and to demonstrate the arts’ value in everyday life.
Measure for Measure: Monthly arts research blog post.

Additional Resources

Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement
Links to online resources about program evaluation and performance measurement for arts organizations.

UMass Amherst NEA Archives Collection
A digitization of more than 40 years of publications on the arts and arts management.

Research Agenda (archived)

Research Convenings