ON THE MARK: What we know about artists

We are learning a lot about industrial arts training and jobs these days, well-deserved and long overdue. But what about artists? Musicians, performing artists, writers, filmmakers, painters, photographers, designers and architects?

An economist, I’ve been studying artists for almost 20 years: their aspirations, training, post-schooling work, and ways of relating to their patrons, audiences and publics. I started exploring data, mounting surveys, and interviewing many artists, hoping to learn about their challenges, who opens or closes doors for them, whom they work for and/or sell to. It’s be...