Centers & Research

Research Center for Arts & Culture

Website: http://www.tc.columbia.edu/centers/rcac/

Caught between paying homage to the artistic spirit and to the almighty dollar, the arts sector must deal with issues of social welfare, censorship, public policy, and arts law and management while simultaneously dedicating itself to the continual development of significant artistic ideas and images. While arts organizations continue to rise to this challenge, it has become increasingly clear that institutional survival in the arts at the expense of the artists themselves is no survival at all. It is for this reason that artists and arts organizations must be encouraged and aided. Part of this assistance comes in the form of reliable and consistent information which helps us to understand the needs and objectives of these constituents in their own terms.

The Research Center for Arts and Culture (RCAC), as both a service and a resource, provides data and ideas for applied research, education, advocacy, policy making, and action. In addition to the vast resources of Columbia University, including the considerable cooperation and participation of the faculty, an advisory board of artists, administrators, and members of the legal and business professions offers continuous support to the Center, helping it to provide services and expertise. Collaboration and cooperation with service organizations, trade publishers, and arts institutions strengthen the RCAC's unique position and enable it to translate its findings into useful, practical forms.

The Research Center for Arts and Culture is committed to:

• Providing long-term, systematic research and documentation on the condition, needs, and situation of the living artist in America
• Exploring the relationship between the public, individual artists, and the arts sector
• Serving as an auspice for research by scholars, students and professionals in arts management education and training around the world
• Providing a forum for research and discussion about cultural policy, arts education, and arts law issues

Who We Serve

Artists, arts institutions, academics, researchers, private funders, policy makers and students all use the Center's research and resources for a variety of purposes. Although the data are distributed to a wide array of constituents, a frequent request for data comes from individual artists. These data show that many artists have similar career paths, goals, and obstacles, particularly in relation to their status in society.

Constituents have used the Center's research in the following ways:

for Artists:

• As part of a support network for artists
• As ammunition for bank loans
• To develop a plan for artist housing

for Advocacy:

• To justify arts advocacy to local and national legislators

for Education:

• To educate the staff and board members of arts funding agencies and organizations
• As educational materials in the classroom
• To argue for additional classroom space for art in schools

for Research:

• To include in research on sampling techniques and methods for finding populations of artists and musicians
• To develop surveys and techniques for replicating the Center's work with local and international artists

for Support:

• To assist in the restructuring of a foundation's arts initiatives

for Information:

• To include in arts-related publications

for Business:

• As background by local developers for downtown redevelopment

For more information e-mail us at rcac@columbia.edu