The Arts in a Digital World
The Canada Council for the Arts engaged Nordicity to conduct a national study of the impact of digital technologies on the Canadian arts sector.
Research goal
The survey examined the impact of:
- The purpose of the study was to understand digital strategies and funds for the arts in Canada and abroad, how artists and arts organizations are using digital technologies, and possible barriers to their access.
Methods
Nordicity reviewed documents and conducted a survey, receiving responses from 2,680 artists and 907 arts organizations from across Canada.
Outcomes
The study concluded that:
- Websites and social media were the most common digital tools used by artists and arts organizations, and marketing, communications, and promotion were the most important applications of digital technology.
- Smaller arts organizations spent a larger portion of their overall budget on digital technology than larger ones.
- Key barriers to accessing and utilizing digital technologies were related to funding, including accessing project-related support by artists, and operational funding and funds to upgrade IT systems by arts organizations.
Questions?
Please contact the Research, Measurement and Data Analytics Section at research@canadacouncil.ca.
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Literature Review: Executive Summary (PDF 531.4 KB)
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Literature Review: Final Report (PDF 1.2 MB)
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Survey Data Report: Executive Summary (PDF 2.3 MB)
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Survey Data Report: 1. Introduction and About Respondents (PDF 288.7 KB)
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Survey Data Report: 2. Overall Use of Technology (PDF 353.1 KB)
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Survey Data Report: 3. Artists and Digital Tools (PDF 771.5 KB)
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Survey Data Report: 4. Uses of Data and Return on Investment (PDF 523.1 KB)
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Survey Data Report: 5. Barriers and Summary of Observations (PDF 287.5 KB)
Excel Document
Survey of Artists and Arts Organizations in Canada - Open Data File (XLSX 4.5 MB)