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NORC at the University Chicago
NORC studies the myriad ways creative expression and cultural participation manifest themselves and influence community development and personal fulfillment.

Cultural institutions and opportunities to participate in arts and culture can provide entertainment and personal fulfillment. They can also enhance civic pride and act as an indicator of a healthy economy. NORC studies the most significant issues affecting arts and culture from an interdisciplinary perspective. Our varied projects include Cultural Infrastructure in the United States, a comprehensive analysis of museums, theaters, and performing arts centers built between 1994 and 2008; the California Survey of Arts & Cultural Participation, which examined the ways that people participate in a range of arts activities and how they express themselves through artistic means; and the Teaching Artists Research Project, which explored the role of teaching artists in arts education. We’ve studied how engaging people with artistic production and creative expression can be a means to improve their employability and economic opportunities. We have also explored the practices and needs of Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Native Alaskan creators in the performing arts.

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Arts & Culture Experts

Highlighted Projects

Creative Expression, Job Readiness, and Economic Opportunity

Examining how the arts and creativity can make people more employable

Client:

James Irvine Foundation

Outcomes of Arts Engagement for Individuals and Communities

A research review to bring evidence to the discussion about benefits of the arts

Client:

William Penn Foundation

Brightening the Spotlight: Native Creators in the Performing Arts

How funders and presenters can better support Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native artists

Client:

First Peoples Fund

National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Survey

A comprehensive national assessment of the Latinx arts and culture field

Client:

The Wallace Foundation

Indigenizing National Arts and Culture Survey Measures

Redesigning survey questions to more accurately reflect the lived experiences of Native people

Client:

The Wallace Foundation

Exploring the Cultural Lives of Californians

An expanded definition of “the arts” finds more artistic participation

Client:

James Irvine Foundation

The National Survey of Artists

A nationally representative portrait of working artists in the United States

Client:

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation