While writing reports for clients Hart has accumulated a large reference library of useful reports and Web sites for creative business people. Please let us know of others you discover and we will post them.
Crafts
- CHA Crafter Attitude & Usage Studies The Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) has sponsored craft surveys of U.S. households since 2005, called the CHA Attitude & Usage Studies. These surveys provide a picture of typical American crafters.
- Craft Artists, Income, and the U.S. Economy 2011 The Craft Organization Development Association (CODA) published this report on the significant economic impact of craft artists. This report includes estimates of the number of professional craft artists, economic impact, who sells crafts and more.
- Etsy category data Go here and click on a particular category to see how many items are for sale in that category.
- Etsy Statistics: Monthly Weather Reports Etsy.com, the major site for selling handmade items online, produces a brief monthly summary of their sales and the number of people selling.
- Insuring Creativity: CERF Business Insurance Survey (PDF) The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) sponsored a survey of craft artisans in 2006-2007. The report includes data on craft artisan types of crafts, number of employees, hours working, property use, spending, use of insurance, and income.
Fine Art & Performing Arts
- Artists & Art Materials 2009 The International Art Materials Association (NAMTA) has published this detailed set of research reports (200 pages) based upon surveys of artists, retailers, and suppliers.
- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Research Publications The NEA offers large comprehensive studies of the big questions: Are arts enthusiasts just old farts? (No.) What has been the impact of fewer arts classes in schools? How has digital media impacted arts participation?
- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (PDF) Go here for comprehensive long-range data regarding the percentage of Americans participating in various arts, from a night at the opera to painting. This is the full report, including data from 1982, 1992, 2002, and 2008.
International Data
- CIA World Factbook Go here for basic data about each country in the world: size, economic activity, government, and people.
Internet Use
- Google AdWords Keywords tool Find out how many searches are done for a word or phrase per month on Google. Use this to understand what your customers call things and what terms to use on your Web site to attract visitors.
- Pew Internet and American Life Find the latest data on how Americans use the Internet. This information will help you understand how to reach your customers and which online technology is worth investing in. This site can be confusing, however.
Needle Arts
- The State of Specialty NeedleArts 2010, 2007, and 2005 The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA) has published this detailed set of research reports (200 pages) based upon surveys of knitters, crocheters, needlepointers, cross-stitchers, and embroiderers; needlearts retailers; and needlearts suppliers.
US Population and Business Data
- US Census Bureau This is the place to go for data collected by the Census and related government organizations. Get data for the country, state, county, etc.