Managing Creativity in a Digital World

About Project

Digital Research

Managing Creativity in a Digital World (2017) was a bilingual digital arts services needs survey disseminated to 3,500 multidisciplinary artists, producers, and arts services organizations across Canada over a 3-month period in Winter 2017. The purpose of the survey was gauge interest and assess needs and priorities for an affordable (open source, open data) arts management digital arts services platform geared to smaller creators and producers.

Highlights include:

• 95% currently use digital tools, or plan to soon, to manage their arts career or organization
• 92% use open source software and digital tools
• 81% self-identify as having proficient or advanced skills in using digital tools
• The top-five rated digital tools are Gmail and Excel (tie 34%), Facebook (32%), Microsoft Word and Google Drive (tie, 29%), Google Calendar (27%) and Google Docs (16%)
• 64% want digital tools to help increase quality time devoted to the presentation or creation of art, 37% for increased earned revenue, 29% improved decision-making, 27% enhance collaboration with the broader industry
• On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5= very high priority:
  • Marketing and outreach support was rated the highest priority for new digital tools development (4.17 average)
  • Administration support including project management, document management, event/production management, financial and statistical reporting, task management and other duties (4.03 average)
  • Financial management including budgeting, expense/receipt tracking, and bookkeeping/accounting (3.90 average)