A comprehensive national survey commissioned by the Mellon Foundation has exposed alarming levels of financial insecurity among American artists, with more than half struggling to afford basic necessities including food and healthcare. The groundbreaking 102-page report, conducted in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago, analyzed responses from 2,618 artists across the United States, providing the most detailed portrait to date of how creative professionals live and work in America.
The study examined artists across five major disciplines - performing arts, visual arts, writing, craft arts, and other artistic fields - breaking them down into 37 specific subdisciplines. Researchers focused on artistic activities participants engaged in over the past 12 months, whether for enjoyment, income generation, cultural preservation, activism, or other purposes. Notably, individuals who reported only doing design work without other artistic activities were excluded from the study.
The research revealed four distinct categories of artists based on their professional arrangements and artistic identities. These included teaching artists, culture bearers, those juggling three or more jobs, and self-employed professionals. The study found that 34 percent of artists are fully self-employed, while 50 percent are self-employed in their primary job, and 11 percent manage three or more different positions within a single year.
Perhaps most concerning, the survey uncovered widespread financial vulnerability affecting the majority of respondents. More than 57 percent of artists reported being somewhat or very worried about affording at least one form of basic necessity, including food, housing, medical care, or utilities. Specifically, 22 percent expressed concern about being able to afford food, while 32 percent worried about meeting medical costs - highlighting the lack of stable healthcare coverage in creative professions.
The study also revealed the personal sacrifices many artists make to sustain their creative practices. Twenty-eight percent provide unpaid care for loved ones with health conditions or disabilities, adding another layer of financial pressure. Additionally, eight percent of surveyed artists are military veterans, demonstrating the diverse backgrounds of those pursuing artistic careers.
"Artists contribute immeasurably to our communities, yet we have only ever had very limited data on them which by and large did not reflect the full population of working artists and culture bearers in the U.S.," explained Gwendolyn Rugg, Senior Research Scientist at NORC and lead author of the report. "With the publication of this study, we now have for the first time a more expansive national portrait of who artists are, how they live and work, and what challenges they experience."
The research comes at a particularly challenging time for the American arts community, which has faced significant cuts to government funding and support. Recent years have seen the elimination of National Endowment for the Humanities and National Endowment for the Arts grants, censorship issues at the Smithsonian Institution, and mass layoffs at prestigious cultural institutions including the National Council on the Humanities, the Kennedy Center, and the National Portrait Gallery.
Rugg emphasized that the study's findings should inform future policy decisions and funding priorities. "This lays the groundwork for creating programs and policies that are truly responsive to artists' needs," she stated. The comprehensive data provides critical insights into how creative professionals navigate overlapping economic, professional, and personal demands while maintaining their artistic practices.
The study significantly expands understanding of who qualifies as an artist in contemporary America, recognizing that while some individuals make their living solely through art, many others work multiple jobs to support their creative endeavors. This broader definition reflects the reality of artistic careers in an economy where stable, well-paying creative positions remain scarce.
Experts hope the research will inform crucial investments, public policy initiatives, and organizational support systems designed to bolster American artists over the long term. As the creative economy continues to evolve amid changing economic and social conditions, this data provides an essential foundation for understanding and addressing the challenges facing one of America's most vital but vulnerable professional communities.
