The Architect's Newspaper By Mimi Zieger

Volunteer labor is at the heart of what makes nonprofits run. Managing those volunteers is one of a nonprofit's most significant tasks. Data reported by arts nonprofits in LA County to the Cultural Data Project (CDP) suggests this is as true in the arts as in other nonprofit sectors. 

In 2012, 35,076 volunteers worked nearly six million hours at 386 nonprofit arts organizations in LA County. This report explores the role of volunteers in arts nonprofits. 

In 2015, Arts and Culture analyzed data from 2014 reports written and submitted by grantees of the Organizational Grant Program, to identify trends in the field and to improve the program.

In 2013, 198,110 people in LA County were employed in 79 creative occupations. Half of those jobs did not require a bachelor’s degree. What kinds of careers are available, how well do they pay, and what training is required? 

In 2013, the Arts Ed Collective + Arts and Culture administered a survey to arts organizations and teaching artists across the County, to find out who provided arts education services to LA County's 2,198 public schools.

This study found that arts nonprofits in LA County may be more likely than employers in other sectors to provide health benefits to their employees.

What kind of data does the Arts Commission use, and how do we use it? The LA County Arts Commission utilizes data from a variety of sources to evaluate and improve our programs and to understand the status of the local arts ecology.