But now the economy has shifted again, a new administration is going to be taking over City Hall, and DCA felt that it was necessary to collect and analyze new data about the needs of working artists. Only this time, they are hoping to reach even more cultural workers and get an even more detailed picture of what it’s like to be a working (or sometime-working, or aspiring) artist in Chicago.

Barbara Koenen, the director of Chicago Artists Resource, says of the first survey, “People really loved being asked who they were and what they needed. It was extremely valuable information to have from the perspective of DCA, but also for going into City Hall to meet with the Economic Development office and say ‘Do you know how many artists there are in Chicago? Do you know what they need?’”

The Creative Chicago Survey goes live online February 4-25. The Chicago Artists Survey, by contrast, had only a two-week window for those receiving the mailed questionnaire to return it—and it still had a 25 percent return rate, according to Koenen. More importantly, this new survey is open to anyone who engages in creative practices—whether they consider themselves working professionals or hobbyists. As the press release puts it, “Actors, artists, architects, arts administrators, authors, chefs, church choir members, dancers, djs, fashion designers, musicians, and anyone else who considers themselves creative can take the survey.”

“We’re trying to expand the definition of who is a creative practitioner beyond who is an artist,” says Koenen, adding “There are now many more examples of creative practice for people to choose from.”

Asked to predict what she thought the survey results might reveal about Chicago artists in 2011, Koenen says, “I don’t want to skew the results, but in this economy I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that people have issues with making a living, starting a business, engaging in their creative practices while raising their families. It goes into pretty detailed demographic information—income sources, educational background, size of their families. It will give us a really deep picture of who the people responding are.”

In addition to being a more open and detailed survey than the 2000 version, the Creative Chicago Survey is also available in Spanish. The DCA estimates that it will take about 15 minutes to fill out (all information will “remain anonymous and be kept confidential,” according to the PR) and Koenen says, “We want this to have as big a level of participation as possible. It’s set up so you can only take it once. But all the members of your dance company can take it. You can send it to your audience, because a lot of people who attend arts events are involved as creative practitioners as well.”

Asked if the recent administrative changes in the DCA would affect the survey, Koenen says, “As far as implementation and running it, it’s already in place. It will be a gift to the new administration. ‘Hello, here is all this information that you can use for planning for a new era.’ It’s like getting a head start.”

Koenen estimates that the “top line report” will be available around June 1, and that the data will be available to a wide array of people in the arts community as well as policymakers. The DCA plans to have at least one public meeting to discuss the results once they are in.

To fill out the survey, visit www.creativechicagosurvey.com.