Mapping Artist Employment

Have you ever wondered how many artists are working in your state? Fortunately, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey has collected data that helps answer this question. The National Endowment for the Arts compiled census information relevant to artists from the Census Bureau in its Arts Data Profile #1, and NASAA turned those spreadsheets into an interactive map: Artists in the Work Force.

But wait—this doesn’t look like a normal map! That’s right. We constantly are experimenting with new ways of presenting information about state arts agencies, and this hexagon tile grid map makes it just as easy to see Rhode Island as it is to see Texas. And unlike with a bar chart, you can get a sense of regional clusters and trends. The inspiration for this style of map came from the talented NPR Visuals Team.