Results from the Annual Arts Basic Survey (2013-2015)

The subject of this profile is the NEA's Annual Arts Basic Survey (AABS), a short-form version of the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA), which the NEA conducts in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau approximately every five years. AABS question topics alternate between arts attendance, literary reading, and arts classes taken (for years ending in odd numbers) and personal performance or creation of artworks (for years ending in even numbers).

The graphics below illustrate results from the survey. Learn about the share of U.S. adults who attend performing arts events, read literature, take arts classes, and personally perform or create artworks by clicking on one of the categories. Then choose from the menu at the bottom of the graphic to see arts participation rates by gender, age, race and ethnicity, and educational attainment.