In addition to providing financial support directly to artists, the CRNY team is committed to ongoing reflection about our programs, the impact they are having on participants, and the broader socio-economic conditions in which our work exists. CRNY executive director Sarah Calderon recently introduced the range of research, advocacy, and narrative change efforts that we will use to promote getting more money and support to artists in New York State and beyond.

One of those efforts is the Guaranteed Income Impact Study, led by researchers collaborating across Indiana University Center for Cultural Affairs, NYU Cash Transfer Lab, Appalachian State Family Economic Policy Lab, and Washington University in St. Louis Social Policy Institute. We are thrilled to launch this study publicly, and to invite all artists who applied to the Guaranteed Income for Artists program in 2022 to participate.

Artists hold many identities beyond their creative practice – gig workers, caregivers, community leaders, immigrants, and more. Sharing your experience will not only help us understand and advocate for the ways that direct cash can benefit artists. It will also contribute to the broader story about guaranteed income, which is based on the premise that all people are deserving of financial stability. We believe this is a story that needs to be told in multiple ways – from traditional press and public media, to elected officials, and among our family and friends.

CRNY’s program is part of a growing movement for guaranteed income across the United States, and this research study will deepen the connections between our work and the incredible range of programs serving other communities – from Denver to St. Paul to Georgia. Together these research efforts are building toward future national policy that ensures we all have an income floor.

Beginning in early November, all artists who submitted an application to the Guaranteed Income for Artists program in early 2022 will receive an invitation to complete an online survey. This invitation will come via email from CRNY’s research partners at the Indiana University Center for Survey Research (CSR). Those who complete the survey will receive a $50 e-gift card as compensation for their labor. 

Data confidentiality and security are high priorities. Participation in the survey is anonymous and strictly voluntary, and you may opt out of any questions that you do not feel comfortable answering. All survey responses will be stored behind a password-protected firewall, and you will not be personally identifiable in any public outputs of this study. 

Comparing the experiences of those who received funding to those who did not is central to understanding the impact of our program as well as the bigger picture of artists’ needs across New York State. So if you applied and are interested, keep an eye on your inbox! We are hopeful that you participate as a means to support the possibility of guaranteed income for more people in the future.