The national Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 survey that tracks the economic impact of arts and culture.

Anyone who has attended an arts or culture event recently may have been asked to complete a survey.

If that event was in Pendleton, the survey may have been “fed” to a collection box shaped like a pale blue monster.

“It seems to be working,” Stephanie Huffman said of the monster. “People seem to think it’s fun.”

Huffman is collecting surveys in Pendleton for the national Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study, the most comprehensive economic impact study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry ever conducted in the United States. AEP6 is the sixth time Americans for the Arts has administered the nationwide survey to examine the economic impact of the arts and culture.

“The arts are fundamental to our humanity. Arts and culture inspire us — fostering creativity, empathy and beauty. The arts also strengthen our communities socially, educationally, and economically,” Nolen V. Bivens, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, said in a press release. “Community is where the arts make a difference, and while the national impact data are impressive, at its core, AEP6 is a local story. We are at a critical moment where data collection in local communities will provide a necessary narrative to support the arts, which will be key in persuading decision-makers that the arts benefit all people in all communities.”

The anonymous surveys take about three minutes to complete and ask attendees about expenses related to the arts event being attended, such as meals, parking or babysitting. New for AEP6, the traditional paper version of the survey has been translated into 23 languages and is also available electronically via customized QR codes (in English and Spanish).

There are 400 different communities participating across the country, representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Of those organizations, 24 of those are in Oregon, and multiple are in Eastern Oregon.

Huffman is collecting surveys on behalf of the Pendleton Development Corporation and the City of Pendleton, and she — and her monster collection box — have attended a number of different events, including theatric performances, classes at the Pendleton Center for the Arts and Tot Time with Pendleton Parks and Recreation. Huffman will be collecting local surveys through the end of May.

“The more groups and organizations that participate in this survey, the better we can reflect how the arts and culture community contribute to our local economy,” she said. “If an organization would like to participate in the survey, I encourage them to get in contact with me. I’d be happy to attend and distribute surveys at their event.”

Survey findings will be made public in October 2023 to lead off National Arts & Humanities Month.

Each participating community will receive a customized report on the unique economic impact of the community’s nonprofit arts including, including the number of jobs that are supported and the amount of government revenue that is generated. An additional analysis will be done on the economic impact of each community’s BIPOC/ALAANA arts organizations as well as the event-related spending by their audiences, documenting for the first time both their economic and social impact benefits to the community.

The previous study, in 2017, showed the nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $166.3 billion in economic activity (spending by organizations plus the event-related spending by their audiences) which supported 4.6 million jobs and generated $27.5 billion in government revenue. The AEP series demonstrates that an investment in the arts provides both cultural and economic benefits.

For more information and a full list of the communities participating in the AEP6 study, visit www.americansforthearts.org/AEP6. Any Pendleton events or organizations interested in having the survey collected at their event can contact Huffman at twilly23@gmail.com.