artists & art materials

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1 ACTIVE ARTISTS artists & art materials USA 2009 report sections: The International Art Materials Trade Association (NAMTA) is the leading association of art materials retailers and suppliers and is the co-sponsor of this study. Executive Summary Active Artists Art Materials Retailers Art Materials Suppliers All report sections are available to NAMTA members at American Artist magazine has been the primary resource for artists since 1937 and is the co-sponsor of this study. Hart Business Research is a leader in creative industries research and independently produced this report.

2 Contents 3 Overview 4 How to Use This Report 6 Definition of an Active Artist 7 Who was Surveyed 8 Artist Market Segmentation 9 Number of Artists 9 Total Number of Active Artists 9 The Bigger Picture: Adults Who Created Art 10 Professional Artists 11 Art Students 13 Growth in Number of Artists 14 Spending 14 Total Active Artist Spending 15 Total Spending Per Product Category 16 Spending $ Per Artist 17 Artist Spending Growth 17 Spotlight on High-Spending Artists 19 Spending $ Per Product Category 22 Spending % by Product Category 23 Spending by Retail Type 28 Frequency of Purchase 48 Materials and Tools 48 Paints 49 Drawing Materials 50 Supports, Surfaces, and Sculptural Materials 51 Digital Tools 53 Artist Feedback on Art Materials 55 Brand Loyalty 56 Proficiency 59 Motivations 59 Why They Do Art 61 What Inspires Artists 63 Art-Related Activities 64 Learning 65 Reading Artists Magazines 66 Using the Internet for Art 69 Artists Life Cycles 69 When Art Begins 70 Who Helps Budding Artists Begin 72 Impact of Art Classes 73 When Life Sets Aside Art 29 Artist Feedback for Retailers 30 Local Art Supply Store Feedback 33 Online Art Supply Store Feedback 34 Crafts Chains Feedback 35 How to Generate Store Awareness 36 Artists Works 36 Time Spent 37 Types of Artworks Created 41 Number of Artworks 46 Artwork Styles 47 Uses of Finished Art 74 Artists Other Creative Activities 76 Artist Demographics 79 Conclusions 82 Appendix A: Comparison with Other Reports Appendix B: Artist Materials Wish List (See separate document.) Copyright 2009 by NAMTA, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this report in whole or in part in any form is strictly forbidden without the sole written approval of NAMTA. A R T I S T S : : C O N T E N T S 2

3 Report Overview See each report section for details. Art Materials Suppliers Manufacturers 280 Importers and others Distributors Art Materials Retailers Art materials storefronts 900 locations Online art materials stores 260+ Crafts chains 2,000 locations Bookstores etc. Thousands Active Artists (4.4 million active artists spent $4.2 billion related to their art.) Professional artists 600,000 Recreational artists 3.2 million College art students 600,000 Definitions: Manufacturers = manufacture at least 1% of inventory. Importers and others = importers, outsourcers (manufacture under contract elsewhere), branding companies, etc. Distributors = only resell finished products. Art materials storefronts include independents and chains. Crafts chains include only those that sell art materials. Bookstores etc. include only those that sell fine art materials, mainly college bookstores but also hardware stores. Professional artists = sold most of their artwork. Recreational artists = active artists who weren t professionals or students. College art students = taking art classes at college/university to earn a degree. Segment box widths are roughly proportional to dollar value of that segment. See each report section for details and calculations. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 3

4 Overview Introduction This section of provides a detailed picture of active artists in the United States at the end of This section is based upon the results of a 2009 survey of 2,714 artists as well as analysis of recent government data. NAMTA and American Artist commissioned this artist report because there had been no comprehensive information published about artists and their artworks since the late 1990s. Some who read this report may be surprised that artists think about their art in terms of what they make, not in terms of the art materials used. The art materials industry has traditionally looked at the market in terms of traditional art materials categories. These do not cover what today s artist creates: paintings, drawings, mixed media/collage, handmade books and cards, three-dimensional art (using art fabrics, sculpture, found objects, etc.), murals, functional art, communication art, and digital art. Possibilities for growth and evolving with the market will open up to suppliers and retailers who focus on the market in terms of what artists make. This report provides the market information that will enable them to do so. How To Use This Report 1. Determine how you are doing and what to do about it. Art materials businesses owners and managers first should read the report summary. The summary provides the information necessary to determine how your business is doing and make plans for how to do even better. There are also suggestions for how to support the growth of the market. 2. Understand and serve the 21st century artist. Both retailers and suppliers should read this report section, The Active Artist, to better understand and serve the needs of the market. Artists have changed considerably in the past 10 or 20 years, and you need to know who they are today for your business to do well today. 3. Compare your business with your peers. Retailers should read the section Art Materials Retailers to explore what other art materials retailers are currently doing and gather best practices and business ideas. Suppliers should do the same with the section Art Materials Suppliers. This definitely is not your grandfather s industry, and you need to know what has changed underneath all of the old assumptions. 4. Get to know your business partners. Read the section about the other half of your industry. If you are a retailer, read the supplier section. If you are a supplier, read the retailer section. You will come away with a better understanding of your business partners and thus be a better negotiator, partner, and business success. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 4

5 5. Make a plan for growth and follow it. NAMTA, your trade association, and American Artist have invested a significant amount of money and time on your behalf to produce this report. This is an investment in you. Take advantage of it. Read through this report and select three things you can do right now to help your business. Do them. Keep the report summary on your desk. Even better, print out the whole report and refer to it when business decisions come up and you need more information. Get the people in your business together to formulate a long-term plan for growth and follow it. Think how much better off you will be in one year, five years, or 20. Special Thanks A team of ourstanding industry experts volunteered their time and knowledge for the development of the surveys and this report. NAMTA, American Artist, and Hart would like to thank David Pyle of American Artist (Interweave) and NAMTA board members Eric Zelenko, Ron Whitmore, Mark Weiner, Frank Stapleton, Louis Reeves, Hayley Prendergast, Richard Goodban, Kim Fjordbotten, Marcello Dworzak, Don Dow, Mark Ball, Beth Bergman, Robert Antovel, and Sid Smith (executive director of NAMTA). Hart would also like to thank Vicki Hopewell, report designer; Carol Rolland, report editor; Diego Baca, the 2009 intern at Hart; and artist advisors Tracy Felix, Doug Holdread, and Amy Metier. QUICK PERCENTAGE TUTORIAL Much of this report discusses percentages, so here is a refresher about how they work. Think of percentages in terms of a pie sliced into 100 pieces. So 100% is all the pie; 50% is half the pie; 25% is one-quarter of the pie; 48% is a little less than half. Another way of looking at percentages is in terms of X-number out of 100; for example, if 33 out of every 100 stores have magenta roofs, then 33% have magenta roofs. QUICK AVERAGES AND MEDIANS TUTORIAL Surveys of retailers can inspire strange data from those who complete the survey. One retailer said it had 2,000 employees; another said it had a 100,000-square-foot sales floor for one store. These inaccuracies were relatively few on this survey. The best way to deal with outlying data like this is to use medians instead of averages. Medians are also a more accurate picture of the typical situation. Medians are middle values, like a highway median: if you lined up 81 of your friends across a highway in terms of height, person number 41 would be the median height. If you calculated the average height of your 81 friends, you would add up all their heights together and divide by 81. If one of your friends is 200 feet tall, however, the average will be higher than any real person other than your Martian giraffe friend. So, this report mostly uses medians, as they aren t affected by extreme values. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 5

6 Definition of an Active Artist (for This Report) It is almost impossible to agree on a definition for artist. For the purposes of this report, given that it is for art materials suppliers and retailers, an active artist is defined as someone who is actively engaged in art (uses artist Web sites, reads artist magazines, shops at art materials stores) and has completed artworks (nearly always at least 10) in any of the following categories: Oil paintings Acrylic paintings Watercolors Pastel drawings Drawings using pencil, colored pencil, pen, ink, markers, etc. Mixed media or collage Murals, wall art, graffiti Handmade books, cards, albums Functional art Three-dimensional art painting or drawing on found object, sculpture, fabric, etc. Conceptual or installation art Communication art or graphic design Digital art As for the more traditional forms of artworks, 81% of the respondents had completed paintings or drawings and 68% had created paintings. Artist could also include fiber artists, jewelry artists, metalsmiths, and many others who express themselves in a creative way with materials. However, given that most art materials suppliers and retailers don t currently sell to these segments, they are left for another report. Note, however, that many of the artists that created art in the above bulleted categories also created art using fibers, beads, metals, wood, and many other materials. Indeed, the 21st century artist is different from the 20th century artist. Read this report to understand how different they are and what you need to do to meet their needs. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 6

7 Who was Surveyed IMPORTANT: These are active artists, not just anyone who used art materials Other studies of art materials consumers have used national household surveys, where a survey is sent to tens of thousands of American households asking if anyone in the house has done any art lately. If anyone do at least one artwork, a follow-up survey is sent that asks in depth about the art and art-related spending. The result is survey data that tends to underrepresent those who spent the most and created the most artworks. In contrast, this report and the survey it is based upon set out to capture the most active (and attractive) part of the market: active artists who create a lot of art and spend the most money on art supplies. The survey was made available to active artists through art magazines, art-related Web sites, and art supply stores. Leisure Artists (Described mainly in crafts reports based on national household surveys) Active Artists (Described in this report, spend more and make more artworks) 2,714 artists completed surveys; nearly all did 10+ artworks 2,920 people responded to the artist survey between April 21 and June 10, ,714 of these respondents were retained, as they had completed at least one project in the artist categories on the previous page. Most of the 206 that were rejected did only fiber arts, quilting, beading, or metalwork. Note that 2,610 of the artists (96%) had completed at least 10 artworks in These artists created art in a median of four or five different categories. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 7

8 Artists came from art Web sites, magazines, blogs, and art materials stores Survey respondents were recruited from a wide range of sources. No single source contributed more than 20% of the respondents. The major sources of survey respondents were e-newsletters, mailings, Web sites, and blogs from the following entities: American Artist Plaza Artist Materials Cloth Paper Scissors Quilting Arts Art materials retailers, including Artisan/Santa Fe, Jerry s Artarama, Wet Paint, Art & Frame of Sarasota Art materials supplier Web sites, including Golden Artist Colors Artist Web sites and blogs, likely including Etsy, Joggles, QuiltArt, About.com Painting, Stampington, Surface Design Association, Wet Canvas, Robert Genn, Yahoo groups, Facebook, Ravelry, DeviantArt, Art Calendar College Art Association Web site link, art teachers Bangor Daily News article Artisans Sought for Web Survey Artist Market Segmentation Traditional segments are professional, recreational, and students Art materials suppliers and retailers have traditionally viewed their market as consisting of three main segments: professional artists, recreational artists, and art students. In reality these overlap significantly. For the purposes of this report, the following criteria were used to define these segments: Professional artists = mostly sold their artwork (367 respondents) Professional artists were identified as those who were not students and indicated they mostly sold the art they finished in This was the result of their answer to the survey question, What did you do with the art you finished in 2008? They could indicate mostly, some, or none regarding whether they sold their art. Recreational artists = not students or professionals (1,970 respondents) Recreational artists were identified as those who were neither students nor professional artists. They thus sold some or none of their art and were not taking art classes at a college/ university to earn a degree. Half had recently taken an art class or workshop in college or in the community and not related to a degree. 60% had sold some art. Students = taking art classes to earn a degree (377 respondents) Student respondents were identified as those who indicated they were taking art classes at a college or university to earn a degree. This was the result of their answer to the survey question, What do you do that is related to art? Keep in mind the students who responded to the artist survey had a median age in their 40s, demographically closer to the typical art workshop attendee than to the median age of 22 for all postsecondary degree students. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 8

9 Number of Artists Total Number of Active Artists About 4.4 million active artists in USA (2008) This is the population of people for whom creating art is a significant part of their lives. As noted in Definition of an Active Artist (p.6), they created 10 or more artworks per year, read artist magazines and Web sites, and shopped at art materials stores. The total was estimated as follows. Total active artist spending on art materials in 2008 was $1.25 billion. (See page 14 for market size calculations.) Active artist median spending was about $285 on art materials. The $285 was calculated as a weighted average percentage of the artists in the survey sample: 14% were professionals, median spending $400; 72% were recreational artists, median spending $260; and 14% were students, median spending $300. So $1.25 billion divided by $285 is 4.4 million. This total does not include occasional artists, those who may do one or two artworks a year and do not view art as a major part of their lives. These occasional artists are not the core market for art supply stores or fine art materials, so they are not part of this report. The Bigger Picture: Adults Who Created Art About 17.6 million adults painted or drew in USA (NEA, 2002) This figure includes the 4.4 million active artists noted above. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) sponsored the 1992 and 2002 Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts. The report noted 8.6% of adult respondents said they were involved in painting, drawing, sculpture, or printmaking in The NEA projected this to about 17.6 million people nationally for Ten years before, in 1992, the percentage was about the same: 9.6% (projected to a population of 17.6 million). The NEA notes there was no statistically significant difference from 1992 to (Source: page 37) The same NEA report indicates 1.6% of the 2002 survey respondents said they were involved in painting, drawing, sculpture, or printmaking and displayed their artwork publicly. So, about 19% of artists, or about 3.3 million people, displayed their artwork publicly in 2002, according to the NEA s national survey. (Calculation: 1.6/8.6 = 19%, 19% of 17.6 million = 3.3 million) Active artists, the subject of, were about three times as likely to display their artwork publicly: 68% of active recreational artists said they displayed their artwork outside their home. The above numbers fit together as follows, like a Russian nesting doll. At the center are the 3.3 million artists who displayed their artwork publicly. This is a subset of the 5.6 million active artists. Active artists are in turn a subset of the 17.6 million adults who painted or drew. A R T I S T S : : N U M B E R O F A R T I S T S 9

10 Professional Artists About 600,000 artists that sold most of their work Hart calculated this estimate from the Artists & Art Materials artist survey data, as follows: 2,714 artists responded to the survey, all of them active artists. 14% sold most of their artwork. Hart estimated there were 4.4 million active artists in the USA in (see page 9.) 14% of 4.4 million is about 616,000. As a comparison datapoint, Etsy.com, a site for selling handmade items (including 412,000 artworks in August 2009), had more than 200,000 sellers as of January (Source: Comparison: 30,000 officially declared professional fine artists (BLS, 2006) The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides employment data for all occupations, including professional artists. The BLS noted 2006 total employment was 30,000 for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators. This includes salary, wage, and self-employed workers, and full- and part-time workers. 63% were self-employed. (Source: Occupational Employment, Training, and Earnings database at This data is based upon employer reports and BLS occupational surveys; these likely undercount the self-employed and part-time professionals. The bigger picture: 387,000 officially declared professional fine artists and graphic, digital, and craft artists (BLS, 2006) BLS total employment data for several occupation categories related to artists, as follows: OCCUPATION CATEGORY TOTAL EMPLOYMENT, 2006 Fine artists (including painters, sculptors, illustrators) 30,000 Graphic designers 261,000 Multi-media (mainly computer-based) artists and animators 87,000 Craft artists 9,000 Professional fine artist growth rate 10% forecasted for (BLS) The BLS forecasted a 10% increase in total employment for fine artists in , or about 1% per year. The other related occupation categories listed above are forecast to grow at about the same rate as fine artists, except multi-media artists and animators are forecast to grow 26% in A R T I S T S : : N U M B E R O F A R T I S T S 10

11 Art Students About 600,000 students taking art classes to earn a college degree Hart calculated this estimate from artist survey data, as follows: 2,714 active artists responded to the survey. 14% indicated they were taking art classes at a college or university to earn a degree. Hart estimated there were 4.4 million active artists in the USA in (See page 9.) 14% of 4.4 million is about 616,000. This number is similar to the number of students enrolled in visual and performing arts. (See below.) Comparison: 664,000 students enrolled in visual and performing arts (NCES) The National Center on Education Statistics (NCES) indicated there were 664,000 students enrolled in postsecondary schools in the field of visual and performing arts in At the 1% growth rate for college enrollment in general, this would be about 700,000 in Note this includes many majors other than fine art. This is the college group, however, that would be most likely to enroll in art classes. (Source: tables/dt07_222.asp) Core group: 122,000 students pursuing degrees in art (NCES) In the field of fine art in particular, Hart calculated there were 122,000 students pursuing associate s, bachelor s, master s, or doctorate degrees in art in , based on the NCES Digest of Education Statistics. (See page 12 for fields of study included for art.) Hart calculated the 122,000 total by taking the number of degrees conferred within the discipline of art for bachelor s degrees (25,756), master s degrees (2,954), doctorate degrees (20), and associate s degrees (1,758) in The total for each type of degree was multiplied by the typical number of years taken to obtain it. The number of art students increased by 4% per year in , so the totals were then multiplied by 1.08 to determine the total. The disciplines used for the number of students pursuing art degrees were as follows: Fine/studio arts, general Intermedia/multimedia Art/Art studies, general Sculpture Fine arts and art studies, other Printmaking Painting Ceramics, fiber, metal Drawing Jewelry arts Related group: about 92,000 design and visual communications students (NCES) Hart estimated there were 77,000 students pursuing bachelor s, master s, and doctorate degrees and about 16,000 pursuing associate s degrees in the related field of design and visual communications in Hart used the same NCES data sources and methodology that was described above for fine art students. The disciplines used for the design and visual communications totals were as follows: Design and visual communications, general Interior design Commercial and advertising art Graphic design Industrial design Illustration Fashion/apparel design Design and applied arts, other A R T I S T S : : N U M B E R O F A R T I S T S 11

12 Number of art degrees conferred grew 24% (NCES) Hart compared the NCES Digest of Education Statistics for and NCES changed the category methodology, but the categories map to one another as shown in the following table. The total for these fine art degree categories grew by 24%. Bachelor s, master s, and doctorate degrees conferred by degree-granting institutions in fields within the discipline of fine arts and art studies (Note: Some cells blank because NCES split data into additional fields between 2000 and Table does not include associate s degrees.): DEGREE DIVISION DEGREE DIVISION Art, general 12,922 Fine/studio arts, general 10,126 Fine arts and art studies, other 8,938 Art/art studies, general 13,835 Fine arts and art studies, other 1,510 Painting 878 Painting 1,010 Drawing 310 Intermedia/multimedia 767 Sculpture 352 Printmaking 221 Ceramics, fiber, metal, or jewelry arts 469 Ceramics, fiber, metal, or jewelry arts 599 Total degrees conferred 23,207 Total degrees conferred 28,730 Much bigger student picture: 2.9 million active artists took classes or workshops Hart estimated this as follows: 63% of the 3.2 million recreational artists (2,016,000), 54% of the 600,000 professional artists (324,000), and 89% of the 600,000 art students (534,000) said they had learned new art techniques in art classes or workshops in the past few years. Keep in mind a similar percentage of active artists learned new art techniques from Web sites. Whether these were paid online classes or free lessons/demos bears looking into. A R T I S T S : : N U M B E R O F A R T I S T S 12

13 Growth in Number of Artists Artist population growth 1% or more per year The NEA 1992 and 2002 Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts determined that a steady 9% of adults were involved with creating art. In that same period the Census Bureau reports the U.S. population was 255 million in 1992, 288 million in 2002, and 304 million in Population growth in the U.S. has therefore been about 1.2% per year over the past 16 years. With the percentage of the population involved in creating art steady, any growth has to come from population growth (about 1% per year). As an additional data point, the Census Bureau Occupational Information Network said there were 30,000 fine artists in 2006 and forecasted that to increase by about 10% from , or about 1% per year. That said, given the recent growth in the number of art students (4% per year), the overall artist population could grow at more than 1%. Comparison: National Artist Survey data showed 0 growth, The Artist s Magazine sponsored the National Artist Survey (NAS) every three years from 1985 to These were national household surveys conducted by NFO. The NAS estimated there were about 12 million people over the age of 15 who purchased art materials in 1997, about the same as they reported in So the NAS data showed no growth in the number of artists (art materials purchasers) Both the NAS and NEA data include both active and occasional artists. This report, in contrast, focuses on active artists, the core market for art materials suppliers and retailers. A R T I S T S : : N U M B E R O F A R T I S T S 13

14 Spending Total Active Artist Spending Total for Art Supplies Active artists spent about $2.1 billion to $2.6 billion on art supplies Art supplies includes paints, drawing materials, supports, brushes and other tools and durables like furniture, lighting, storage, framing, books, magazines, and videos. Higher future participation on the art materials supplier and retailer surveys will yield a more precise estimate, as retailer data is required to cross-reference with artist spending to build the estimate, as described below. The totals were estimated as follows, based upon data from the retailer and artist surveys: Art supply stores (independents and chain storefronts) had total estimated sales of $712 million in (See : Retailers.) 63% of that was from art materials (paints, drawing materials, brushes and other tools, and supports), or $449 million. Assume nearly all of those $449 million in sales were to active artists. Active artists made 36% of their art supply purchases at art supply stores. So if $449 million is 36% of total active artist spending on art supplies, then total active artist spending on art supplies would be $449,000,000/.36 = $1,247,000,000, or about $1.3 billion. Art supplies are 30% of total art-related spending by artists. So total artist art-related spending must be about $4.2 billion ($1.25 billion/.30). 29% of artist spending is on furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc; framing supplies and services; and books, magazines, and videos. 29% of $4.16 billion is about $1.2 billion. So $1.3 billion + $1.2 billion = about $2.5 billion for art supplies. The disparity between artist spending on art supplies ($2.5 billion) and retail sales of art supplies ($1.2 billion (See retailer section of this report.)) is likely due to artists purchasing much of their framing, lighting, studio supplies, books and magazines, and non-traditional art supplies outside of the traditional art materials industry distribution channel. The Bigger Picture: Total for All Art-Related Materials and Services Active artists spent $4.2 billion related to art This number is from the above calculations and includes art materials, furniture and other durable goods, framing supplies and services, classes and workshops, and materials used for art but not included under the traditional categories for art materials. A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 14

15 Total Spending Per Product Category 59% of spending on categories usually carried by art materials retailers Active artists indicated on the survey how much they spent on each art-related category listed below. These were then totaled per category and percentages calculated. These numbers are noted only to the nearest million, as they are accurate + or -20%. Active artist spending per category of art-related spending, estimated market size (2008): MATERIALS AND SERVICES CATEGORIES ACTIVE ARTIST SPENDING % MARKET SIZE Paints 10% $415 million Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) 5% $208 million Brushes and other tools 5% $208 million Supports (canvas, panels, paper, etc.) 10% $416 million Furniture, lighting, storage, etc. 7% $291 million Framing supplies and services 12% $499 million Books, magazines, videos 10% $415 million Traditional art supplies total 59% $2,452 million Non-traditional art supplies (fiber, art fabric, beads, wire, ceramics, art glass, etc.) 9% $366 million Classes and workshops 25% $1,039 million Other (supplies, studio, travel, etc.) 7% $299 million TOTAL 100% $4,156 million A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 15

16 Spending $ Per Artist The Bigger Picture: Spending on All Art-Related Materials and Services Recreational artists spent median of $880 Recreational artists each spent a median of $880 on art-related materials and services in Professional artists and students each spent about $400 more than that. Art-related materials and services included the following: Paints Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) Brushes and other tools Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. Framing supplies and services Books, magazines, videos Classes and workshops Other (fabric, fiber, crafts, photography, travel, studio, etc.) Median amount spent by artists on art-related materials and services in 2008: ARTIST SEGMENT TOTAL ART-RELATED SPENDING, MEDIAN Professional artists $1,330 Recreational artists $880 Students $1,241 Spending on Art Materials Recreational artists spent median of $260 on art materials Recreational artists spent a median of $260 per person on art materials in Professional artists and students spent significantly more on art materials per person, but recreational artists spent the most per artwork. Art materials included the following: Paints Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) Brushes and other tools Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) Median amount spent by artists on art materials in 2008, and median amount spent on art materials per artwork (Note the per-artwork data is calculated from art materials spending per person divided by number of artworks, excluding digital, which can be in the thousands, and other ): ARTIST SEGMENT MEDIAN ART MATERIALS SPENDING MEDIAN PER ARTWORK Professional artists $400 $6 Recreational artists $260 $7 Students $300 $5 A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 16

17 Spending in 2008 Versus 2007 More than half of artists spent more in 2008 Slightly more than half the artists in each segment noted they spent more on art supplies in 2008 than they did in Only 10% to 15% of artists spent less in 2008 than in Percentage of artists that checked off the relative amount they spent on art supplies in 2008 versus 2007: YEAR SPENT MORE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS More in % 53% 58% About the same in 2007 and % 32% 28% More in % 15% 14% Artist Spending Growth Per-artist spending growth 3% or more per year (recession notwithstanding) This estimate is based upon two relevant data sets plus the above survey data. Consumer spending grew about 4% to 7% annually from 1995 to (Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis) Same-store sales growth at Michaels Stores, Inc., Jo-Ann Stores, Inc., and A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts, Inc. averaged about 3% for all three chains from 1998 through (Source: 10-K annual report filings. Thus a 3% baseline growth is assumed. But growth may be more than that, as the survey data indicated more than half of active artists spent more in 2008 than Spotlight on High-Spending Artists High spenders more prevalent among professionals and students High spenders were defined as those who spent $3,200 or more a year on art-related products and services (art materials, classes and workshops, furniture, media, etc.). 22% of professional artists, 11% of recreational artists, and 20% of students were high spenders. High spenders did twice as many artworks Median number of artworks completed by high spenders versus typical spenders (2008): KINDS OF ARTWORKS HIGH SPENDERS TYPICAL SPENDERS Paintings and drawings Artworks, all kinds High spenders spent relatively more online, less at crafts chains Percentage of each group s art materials spending done at each type of retail outlet (2008): CHARACTERISTIC HIGH SPENDERS TYPICAL SPENDERS LOW SPENDERS Art supply stores (not online) 34% 36% 32% Online art supply or crafts stores 29% 26% 12% Crafts chains (not online) 13% 20% 32% Other (bookstores, hardware, etc.) 24% 18% 24% A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 17

18 High spenders spent relatively more on furnishings and classes These high spenders spent an average of six times as much as the typical active artist overall, but 10 times as much on furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. They spent seven times as much on classes and workshops and nine times as much on other, which usually consisted of fiber, fabric, crafts supplies, studios, and travel. Ratio of high-spender versus typical-spender spending on various categories of art materials (2008): PRODUCTS AND SERVICES CATEGORY RATIO Paints 4 Drawing materials 3 Brushes and other tools 5 Supports 3 Total art materials 4 Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. 10 Framing supplies and services 6 Books, magazines, videos 3 Classes and workshops 7 Other 9 All categories 6 High spenders did not use more different kinds of paint or drawing materials Average number of types of materials used by high spenders versus typical spenders, 2008: MATERIALS HIGH SPENDERS TYPICAL SPENDERS Types of paint used Types of drawing materials used High spenders learned more often from videos and art classes High spending artists more often than lower spenders learned new art techniques from every source, but particularly from videos, art classes, and other artists. Art materials businesses should keep this in mind as they decide whether to provide videos and classes. Magazines are good places to reach typical and high spenders, but not as good to reach low spenders. Percentage of artists who learned new techniques from various sources (2008): WHERE LEARNED NEW TECHNIQUES HIGH SPENDERS TYPICAL SPENDERS LOW SPENDERS Books 77% 77% 56% Magazines 74% 78% 58% Web sites 62% 65% 59% Videos (not online) 38% 27% 12% Art classes or workshops 81% 67% 43% Other artists 65% 57% 45% A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 18

19 Spending $ Per Product Category Professional Artists Professionals typically spent $180 on paints 80% of professional artists noted on the survey they purchased paints in 2008; they spent a median of $180. The average professional artist spending on paints was $347. (Remember the median is the midpoint value of the group. The average is considerably higher than the median because some professionals spent a lot on paints, which pulled up the average.) 4% of professional artists spent more than $1,000 on paints; 12% spent more than $500. Professionals typically spent $175 on supports 80% of professional artists noted on the survey they purchased supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) in They spent a median of $175, average $311. 5% spent more than $1,000 on supports; 14% spent more than $500. Many professionals spent as much on framing as on paints and supports 51% of professional artists noted on the survey they purchased framing supplies and services in Professional artist framing supplies and services purchasers spent a median of $325 (average $890). 19% of professionals reported spending more than $1,000 on this category. Workshops were major expense for many About half the professional artists reported they spent money on classes and workshops, a median of $300 (average $642). 14% of professionals reported spending more than $1,000 on this category. Other (studios, supplies, travel, fiber, crafts, etc.) is a huge spending category Other was a major expense for 49% of professionals, with a median of $500 (average $1,130) in spending on fiber/fabric, other crafts supplies, general supplies, travel, photography, and/or studio costs. 22% of professional artists who spent money on other spent more than $1,000. Percentage of professional artists who made purchases in each category, and median spending per category by purchasers (2008): MATERIALS AND SERVICES % WHO PURCHASED MEDIAN SPENDING BY PURCHASERS Paints 80% $180 Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) 76% $50 Brushes and other tools 78% $100 Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) 80% $175 Art materials 92% $400 Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. 51% $100 Framing supplies and services 51% $325 Books, magazines, videos 83% $100 Classes and workshops 48% $300 Other (1/4 fabric or fiber, 1/4 crafts supplies, 1/2 studio, supplies, travel) 49% $500 A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 19

20 Recreational Artists Recreationals typically spent $100 on paints 79% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased paints in 2008; they spent a median of $100 (average $200). 1% of recreational artist paint buyers spent more than $1,000 on paints; 5% spent more than $500. Recreationals typically spent $100 on supports 83% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased supports in 2008; they spent a median of $100 (average $180). 5% of recreational artist support purchasers spent more than $500 on supports. Recreationals spent as much on books, magazines, videos as on paints 84% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased books, magazines, or videos in 2008; they spent a median of $100 (average $213), about the same as they spent on paints. 4% of recreational artist book/magazine/video purchasers spent more than $500. Classes and workshops biggest spending category for many 56% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased classes and workshops in 2008; they spent a median of $300 (average $569). 11% of recreational artist class and workshop buyers spent more than $1,000; 27% spent more than $500. Less than half purchased frames, but spent almost as much as on art materials 43% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased framing supplies and services in 2008; they spent a median of $200 (average $402). The recreational artist median spend for art materials was $260. 6% of recreational artist framing supplies and services buyers spent more than $1,000; 17% spent more than $500. Percentage of recreational artists who made purchases in that category, and median spending per category by purchasers (2008): MATERIALS AND SERVICES % WHO PURCHASED MEDIAN SPENDING Paints 79% $100 Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) 76% $50 Brushes and other tools 75% $50 Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) 83% $100 Art materials 92% $260 Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. 44% $100 Framing supplies and services 43% $200 Books, magazines, videos 84% $120 Classes and workshops 56% $300 Other (1/4 fabric or fiber, 1/4 crafts supplies, 1/2 other) 30% $400 A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 20

21 Students Students typically spent $100 on paints 83% of degree-seeking student artists noted on the survey that they purchased paints in 2008; they spent a median of $100 (average $213). 2% of student paint buyers spent more than $1,000 on paints; 7% spent more than $500. Students typically spent $100 on supports 85% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased supports in 2008; they spent a median of $100 (average $201). 5% of student artist support purchasers spent more than $500 on supports. Major student expense was classes and workshops Two-thirds of students listed their expenses for classes on the survey. The median was $600. The average was much higher, about $1, % of students spent more than $1,000 on classes. The other one-third of students must have omitted listing classes and workshops as an art-related expense, probably due to not understanding the full scope of the question. Percentage of students who made purchases in that category, and median spending per category by purchasers, 2008: MATERIALS AND SERVICES % WHO PURCHASED MEDIAN SPENDING BY PURCHASERS Paints 83% $100 Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) 86% $50 Brushes and other tools 78% $50 Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) 85% $100 Art materials 93% $300 Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. 52% $75 Framing supplies and services 43% $200 Books, magazines, videos 81% $100 Classes and workshops 67% $600 Other (fabric, fiber, crafts, etc.) 27% $350 Comparisons Between Artist Segments Professionals spent the most per person in a few categories Each professional artist typically spent twice as much as a recreational artist or student on paints, brushes and other tools, and supports. Artists in all three segments typically spent about the same amount per person on drawing materials ($50). A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 21

22 Spending % by Product Category The Bigger Picture: Art-Related Materials and Services Spending on traditional art materials was less than one-third of artist spending Professional and recreational artist spending on paints, supports, and drawing materials was about 30% of their total spending on all art-related materials and services. Students spent a smaller portion, 21% of their art-related budget, on traditional art materials. The other two-thirds of spending was mainly on classes and workshops; books, magazines, and videos; framing; and furniture. Biggest chunk of professional artist spending was on framing Professional artists spent proportionately more in two areas: 1) framing supplies and services, and 2) things related to their art business such as photography, travel, computers, software, office supplies, and studio costs. Paints was their third biggest expense, tied with art business costs. Biggest chunk of recreational artist spending was on learning Recreational artists spent proportionately more on learning than professionals did. Recreationals dedicated 33% (versus professionals, 21%) of their art-related spending to classes and workshops, and books, magazines, and videos. Framing was the third biggest expense. Biggest chunk of student spending was on classes (of course) Students invested almost half their art-related spending in classes and workshops. They spent proportionately more on furniture and other durables, perhaps because they were in a phase of acquiring the necessary infrastructure for being an artist. Paints was their third biggest expense. Percentage of artist spending by category of art materials and services (2008) (Top 3 for each segment are in bold.): SPENDING CATEGORY PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS Classes and workshops 13% 21% 45% Books, magazines, videos 8% 12% 6% Framing supplies and services 19% 12% 6% Paints 12% 11% 7% Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) 10% 10% 6% Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. 6% 7% 15% Fiber, fabric, thread, etc. 6% 7% 3% Other (photography, travel, computers, software, office supplies, studio costs, etc.) 12% 7% 4% Brushes and other tools 6% 6% 4% Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) 4% 5% 3% Ceramics, glass, beads, wire 5% 3% 2% TOTAL 100% 100% 100% A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 22

23 Spending by Retail Type Usage of Different Types of Retailers Highest percentage of artists shopped at art supply stores At least 80% of artists in each segment shopped at art supply stores (independents or chains). Note these are combined in the first graph segment. Artists in each segment shopped at a median of four different types of stores. Most often those were online art supply or crafts stores, crafts chain stores, local independent art supply stores, and art supply chain stores. Only 5% of artists purchased art supplies at only one type of retailer. Percentage of artists in each segment who shopped (spent money on art supplies) at these types of retailers: 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Art supply stores sum (independents + chains) Local independent art supply stores Art supply chain stores Crafts chain stores Online art supply or craft stores Hardware or home decorating stores Bookstores or college stores General Merchandisers Other (fabric, quilt, bead, thrift, online) 82% 84% 90% 63% 63% 71% 56% 56% 68% 69% 74% 75% 79% 70% 70% 48% 41% 45% 30% 40% 50% 32% 33% 37% 29% 27% 26% Professional artists Recreational artists Students A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 23

24 Store Visits Versus Spending Artists were most likely to shop at art supply stores and spend the most there Artists were most likely to shop at art supply stores (84% of recreational artists shopped there) and the highest percentage of artists spending (36%) was at art supply stores. Artists were equally likely to shop at crafts chains and online, but they spent half again as much online as they did at crafts stores. Percentage of recreational artists who spent money on art supplies at the three major retail types versus percentage of spending at each (2008): RETAIL TYPE % OF ARTISTS WHO SPENT THERE % OF ART SUPPLIES SPENDING Art supply stores (local independents + chains) 84% 36% Crafts chain stores 74% 18% Online art supply or crafts stores 70% 28% Spending Percentages by Retail Type One-third of art supply spending at art supply stores All three segments of artists spent about one-third of their art supply dollars at art supply stores; this consisted of local independent art supply stores and art supply chains and did not include online stores. About one-quarter of art supply spending online This varied significantly across artist segments. Students spent the lowest percentage online (20%), professionals the highest (35%), and recreationals in between (28%). Remaining one-third of spending at non-art-supply retailers The total percentage of art supplies spending at non-art-supply retailers (crafts chains, bookstores, college stores, hardware, home decorating, general merchandisers, others including fabric, quilt, bead, and thrift stores) varied across artist segments. Students spent the highest percentage of their dollars (44%) in these non-art-focused outlets. Percentage of recreational artist spending by retail type (2008) (data in table on page 25): Other Bookstores or college 7% Hardware, home dec, general merch 5% 7% 28% Online art supply or crafts stores Crafts chain stores 18% 19% 17% Art supply chain stores Local independent art supply stores A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 24

25 Artist Segment Spending Differences by Retail Type Professional artists spent equally online and at art supply stores Professionals spent about one-third of their art supplies dollars at online art supply or craft stores and another one-third at brick-and-mortar art supply stores (independents and chains). Professional artists spent a higher percentage of their dollars online than recreational artists or students. Recreational artists store habits in the middle Recreational artists don t differ much from professionals and students in their spending percentages by retail type, except recreationals were less likely than professionals to shop online and more likely to shop at crafts chains. Students least likely to shop online; favor college stores and other retailers Students were significantly less likely than professional and recreational artists to shop for art supplies online. Students were more likely to shop at college stores and non-art-related retailers (fabric, quilt, bead, thrift, general online stores). Percentage of art supply spending by retail type (2008): RETAIL TYPE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS STUDENTS Online art supply or crafts stores 35% 28% 20% Local independent art supply stores 18% 19% 22% Art supply chain stores (not online) 16% 17% 14% Art supply store subtotal 34% 36% 36% Crafts chain stores (not online) 11% 18% 15% Other (fabric, quilt, bead, thrift, online) 9% 7% 12% Bookstores or college stores 2% 5% 8% Hardware or home decorating stores 6% 4% 6% General merchandisers 2% 2% 2% TOTAL 100% 100% 100% A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 25

26 Recent Changes in Spending by Retail Type About half of artists reported spending shifted more online Online stores (art supply or crafts) had the highest percentage of artists in each category state that their spending went up for this retail type. The growth picture was consistent, as only 5% 15% of artists in each category said their spending decreased online. About one-third of artists reported spending shifted more to independents Students were more likely than professionals or recreational artists to report the percentage of their spending at local independent art supply stores went up in the past several years. The picture was slightly mixed, though: About 20% of artists said their spending went down at independents in the past several years. Percentage of artists in each segment who reported the percentage of their spending went UP in the past several years at these kinds of stores: 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Online art supply or craft stores 48% 44% 56% Local independent art supply stores Art supplies chain stores Crafts chain stores 31% 30% 22% 26% 27% 25% 29% 28% 38% Other (fabric, quilt, bead, thrift, online) 28% 23% 35% Bookstores or college stores 15% 19% 26% Hardware or home decorating stores General Merchandisers 19% 16% 25% 15% 11% 12% Professional artists Recreational artists Students A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 26