What do Kansas City’s artists think? A survey looks at our creative community

Kansas City government and the Economic Development Corp. of Kansas City are surveying area artists and cultural organizations on their needs for live/work housing, shared studios and office, retail or program spaces.

The deadline to respond is the end of the day Friday.

“It’s a recognition that artists bring not just a sense of vibrancy to the community but also a major impact with regard to the job opportunities,” said Gary Sage, research and policy officer with the Economic Development Corp.

The surveys are at KCArtSurvey.org. One is for individual artists and one is for organizations and businesses. The surveys are aimed not just at visual artists and musical performers but also at designers, architects and others with creative businesses including the culinary arts and interior design.

Many artists already have submitted responses. As of Wednesday, the tally was 370 surveys from individual artists and 71 from organizations. The survey launched Oct. 25.

City government and the Economic Development Corp. will share the information with potential developers and also creative companies looking to locate in Kansas City, according to Consuelo Cruz, arts marketing coordinator with the Kansas City Office of Culture and Creative Services.

Cruz said artists have communicated that studio space isn’t as hard to come by in Kansas City as live-work spaces, but the survey will provide more definitive data on the needs and demand, which could inform city planning.

The responses will help the city determine the demand by type, number and size of spaces, plus design features, affordability and amenities.

There’s no cost to participate in the survey. Organizers hope artists will provide their names and other information and not just respond anonymously.

This story was originally published January 8, 2017 at 2:31 PM with the headline "What do Kansas City’s artists think? A survey looks at our creative community."