The 2000 United States Census revealed that there are more people who identify their primary occupation as “artist” than as lawyer, doctor, or police officer combined. And each year, our schools graduate another 100,000 students with arts-oriented BFAs, MFAs, and PhDs. Since 7 of the 10 most expensive schools in the country are art schools, artist-graduates live with unprecedented debt burdens. Looking at the Census Bureau’s 2010-2012 American Community Survey, BFAMFAPhD Census Report shows that most artists (85%) in New York City have non-arts-related day jobs. The few people with art degrees who make their living as artists (15%) in New York City have a median income of $25,000. This is one-half of the median income of other professionals. With elite art schools charging $120,000 for an art degree, and with tuition rising at public universities, both artists and culture are under threat.
See what we are doing to raise awareness, and build an art world we would want to live in.