Creative Economy/Research

NEFA strengthens and supports the creative sector by providing tools and information which build the intellectual assets of the cultural community. NEFA’s research and knowledge-sharing inform cultural decision-making and program development, and ultimately, enhance public understanding of how the arts contribute to the vitality of communities.

NEFA’s research includes:

• Creative Economy Network meetings
• Data-driven research studies
• Creative Communities Exchange
• Online Resources
• Program-based research

Creative Economy Network meetings

NEFA periodically convenes an informal network of practitioners who are invested in strengthening the New England creative economy. What creative economy projects and topics are important to you? Let us know by completing this quick survey (deadline: June 1) or contacting NEFA's research staff.

Data-driven Research Studies

Since 1978, NEFA has commissioned data-driven research that defines the creative economy, measures the economic impact of its nonprofit component, and creates research models which can be used by anyone in the U.S. View NEFA’s publications to download or request past studies.

New England's Creative Economy: Nonprofit Sector Impact (September 2011)
NEFA adds organizational examples in the next installment of the report series focusing on economic impact of New England's arts and cultural nonprofits: New England's Creative Economy: Nonprofit Sector Impact.

Creative Communities Exchange

The Creative Communities Exchange gathers creative and cultural community leaders for networking and practical creative economy workshops prepared by their peers. The Exchange highlights a wide range of projects focusing on various elements of the creative economy, two of which have been recognized with NEFA's first-ever creative economy awards.

Online Resources

CultureCount is a searchable directory of New England artists, cultural nonprofits, and creative businesses used by policymakers, economic development officials, cultural organizations, and the general public. Through CultureCount, users can access financial and demographic information about the creative economy and analyze the economic impact of the arts in a specific geographic area.

The Creative Economy forum on the NEFA Network is an online community for those who are interested in or want to learn more about research and projects that focus on the importance and impact of the arts and culture. Learn about other peers' challenges and success stories, and build upon existing research by sharing your creative economy work.

Program-based Research

Documentation and evaluation of NEFA’s grantmaking programs inform NEFA’s ability to play a leadership role in the cultural sector. Some ways in which NEFA ensures the effectiveness of its programs include:

• surveys (for example, NEFA's Native Arts program survey findings)
• program documentation
• program evaluation