The Local Arts Index

Benchmarks, Measures & Community Aspirations

PRESENTATION SESSION

Tuesday, October 11, 9:30 am – 11:00 am

Organized by Randy Cohen, vice president of research and policy, Americans for the Arts.

Presented by Nancy Glaze, executive director, Arts Council Silicon Valley.

Americans for the Arts has spent the past two years developing and testing the Local Arts Index, a measure of the performance, vitality, and character of the arts at the county level, and the local complement to the National Arts Index. The Local Arts Index provides a “common currency of language”—a way that funders, arts professionals, and community leaders can talk about the value of the arts, connect the arts to community priorities and aspirations, and gauge progress. This session will provide preliminary findings from the pilot phase of the study, conducted in partnership with 100 communities across 35 states, and engage participants in a lively conversation about its applications.