Deadline to complete survey extended until September 30, 2021
Berkeley, California (Thursday, September 02, 2021) - If you live or work in Berkeley as a musician, actor, dancer or other type of artist or if you're an employee of an arts or cultural organization, fill out a survey to help assess the housing needs for you and others like you.
If you're an artist or a cultural worker who's been displaced from Berkeley over the past 5 years due to the high cost of housing, you, too, should fill out the survey.
This less than 10-minute survey will be used to identify risks specific to Berkeley's arts and culture industry and develop strategies to preserve and create affordable housing solutions.
Fill out the online survey by Sept., 30, 2021
Anonymous survey to understand housing needs
Our survey tries to encompass a broad range of people who work in the arts. Artists are independently employed. "Cultural workers" are those who work for an arts and culture organization. We'll be asking for anonymous responses about your:
- Connection to Berkeley (i.e. resident, employed, displaced from Berkeley)
- Housing and studio space needs
- Eviction and displacement threats/experiences
- Demographic and income level information
- Ideas on how to ensure equitable participation of artists and cultural workers who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color or from other historically underserved communities
- Recommendations for community-based organizations that should be consulted
Survey to be used to develop strategies
Affordable housing keeps Berkeley vibrant. That includes our arts and cultural life.
Our consultants will use the survey to write a report with recommendations on developing and preserving affordable housing solutions. The report, which will be completed by the end of the year, will be presented to the Civic Arts Commission and shared with City Council.
In November 2018, the voters of Berkeley approved a $135 million-dollar affordable housing bond, for which a wide array of affordable housing solutions are being sought.
Importance of Berkeley's Arts & Cultural Industries
Berkeley's artists and arts organizations make enormous creative contributions to our city and keep diverse cultural traditions alive. Additionally, the arts sector is a significant economic driver, generating millions of dollars in economic activity in Berkeley annually and employing over 6,000 workers. However, housing affordability challenges in Berkeley, like the rest of the Bay Area, threaten the stability of the arts sector. Berkeley's artists, musicians, actors, writers, and other creatives, along with arts administrators, stage hands, ticket booth operators, and others in the arts workforce, are being priced out.
Help us better understand the needs of artists and those who work in our arts and cultural organizations. Fill out the survey and spread the word to others!
More information
For more information about the study contact Jennifer Lovvorn, Chief Cultural Affairs Officer, Civic Arts Program, JLovvorn@cityofberkeley.info or 510-981-7533.
Links
Note: This message was updated on Sept. 21 to reflect that the deadline to complete the survey has been extended until Sept. 30, 2021.
