This year, AMS is partnering with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters to build a better on-going assessment of the state of the performing arts. Through surveys to Arts Presenter members, North America's major performing arts centers, and the League of Historic American Theatres, the initiative seeks to capture a series of 'snapshots' of sales, fundraising, confidence, and planning, to help provide insight for funders, and strategy for managers.

The report has already informed national debate on policy and the field, as Americans for the Arts CEO Robert Lynch included elements of the findings in his testimony to Congress.

The first tracking survey, released in January 2009 (and available in PDF format), collected responses in late December 2008, reflecting the prior thirty day period. A total of 209 organizations responded. Of these, nearly all (175) were presenters with their own facilities while approximately 15 percent (37) where independent presenters and the balance (4) were rental facilities.

The second report, released in March, is now also available on-line for download (pdf format), and shows stabilizing activity and attendance, but continued concern over contributed income. Says the report:

Across the arts sector organizations and their leaders are working hard to manage the effects of the economic slowdown. While in many cases there is still an expectation that the impact of the "economic crisis" is yet to be fully felt, the data suggest one possible direction. By comparing data from late last year with information collected in December we can see that some categories of programming are stabilizing or even improving (largely popular, headliner and variety entertainment) while others continue to struggle. More disconcerting is the rate at which fundraising targets are not being met. While slightly more pessimistic that 3 months ago, the largest number (65%) of presenters now expects the situation to remain the same or improve over the next six months. Most responding presenters are taking some steps to manage their risk but being careful not to over-react.

This initiative is planned to provide an on-going picture of the health of the field, and its changes over time.