Vermont: Vermonter Poll

The Vermont Arts Council contributed three questions to this year’s Vermonter Poll to learn how often its constituents participate in cultural activities, whether they support integrating the arts in K-12 public education and how much they value the arts as an important element of life in their community. The annual statewide telephone survey, first deployed in 1990, is conducted by the Center for Rural Studies at the University of Vermont. With a statistically representative sample of residents, it takes the pulse of the state by gauging opinions about key contemporary issues. It also is a research vehicle for policymakers, advocacy groups and other organizations and institutions, which may sponsor questions at $500 per question. The poll’s results indicate that Vermonters see the arts as community assets that attract people, business and vibrancy, that an overwhelming majority of residents support arts education, and that about half engage in creativity on at least a weekly basis. The findings not only inform the Council’s work but also provide new evidence supporting the agency’s message about the public value of the arts. For more information, contact Communications and Outreach Manager Kira Bacon.