Arts World in Turmoil: BLS Dismissal Reveals Lessons for Creative Sectors Amid Data Mismanagement
In a recent article published on the Arts Analytics blog, authors Douglas Noonan and Joanna Woronkowicz argue that the arts sector should welcome "bad news" data as valuable information. This shift in perspective is crucial, as information serves as the starting point of strategy in the arts world.
The authors criticize the practice of only accepting or using data that confirms existing narratives or is convenient. They suggest that this approach can lead to an artificially optimistic picture, masking real challenges and undermining the sector's ability to advocate for necessary support or reform.
The article highlights the importance of basic research in the arts sector. Organizations should actively seek data, looking for signals that might challenge assumptions or force uncomfortable conversations. This approach is essential for the sector to adapt and evolve, incorporating digital metrics and usage data honestly, even if they reveal uncomfortable truths.
One of the key points made in the article is the recognition and openness to difficult data. Cultural organizations face pressures such as funding cuts and changing audience behaviors. Acknowledging these "bad news" aspects, like financial pressures on opera companies, enables more meaningful discussions about sustainability and diversification of income sources.
The authors also emphasize the need for ethical and culturally sensitive data handling. In contexts involving Indigenous knowledge or communities, carefully managing sensitive data with respect to cultural protocols and governance is crucial.
Cherry-picking only positive data can erode trust and weaken the ability to respond to real problems or argue for change. The authors advocate for investing in infrastructure for data collection and analysis, aiming to make data a public good, not owned by specific entities but held in trust for the public.
The focus is on understanding the full scope of problems like audience disengagement and funding inequities. By embracing both positive outcomes and difficulties, the sector can foster transparency, cultural respect, and effective strategic responses rather than selective reporting that favors only good news.
The article's publication comes amidst controversy, with the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) being forced out last week. The firing sparked outrage, especially among those who see it as an attack on the integrity of public data. The authors argue that rejecting inconvenient data is a problem, not just for political leaders but also for organizations in the arts sector.
In conclusion, the arts and cultural sector handles "bad news" data—such as financial difficulties, systemic challenges, or inconvenient digital metrics—through careful reflection, open dialogue, and strategic planning rather than avoidance. By embracing a balanced approach to data, the sector can foster transparency, cultural respect, and effective strategic responses, ultimately benefiting from a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the challenges it faces.
- The authors of the Arts Analytics blog article emphasize the value of "bad news" data, arguing that the arts sector should welcome such information as a starting point for strategy.
- To adapt and evolve, organizations in the arts sector should actively seek data, looking for signals that might challenge assumptions or force uncomfortable conversations.
- One key point made in the article is the recognition and openness to difficult data, such as financial pressures on opera companies, enabling more meaningful discussions about sustainability and diversification of income sources.
- The authors also stress the importance of ethical and culturally sensitive data handling, particularly when dealing with Indigenous knowledge or communities.
- Cherry-picking only positive data can erode trust and weaken the ability to respond to real problems or argue for change, as the authors note, and they advocate for investing in infrastructure for data collection and analysis.
- The authors argue that the arts and cultural sector, like political leaders, should not reject inconvenient data, but should instead embrace a balanced approach to data that fosters transparency, cultural respect, and effective strategic responses.
