SMU DataArts has partnered with artist and researcher, Annie Dorsen on a multi-method study examining the real-world economic and professional impacts of generative AI on performing artists in theater, dance, and live music.
There is currently little large-scale, empirical data on how generative AI is affecting artists’ income, work processes, and career sustainability, particularly in this artistic discipline. This initiative aims to generate actionable insights that can inform policy, funding, and field-wide support.
Artists working in theater, dance, and live music performance are invited to participate in this study by completing a brief survey linked below. Findings will be shared publicly once the data has been analyzed and synthesized.
This research is conducted by SMU DataArts and Annie Dorsen as part of Artists Make Technology, a collaborative initiative anchored by Mozilla Foundation and the Doris Duke Foundation, in partnership with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, with additional support from the Ford Foundation.
Performing artists working in theater, dance, and live music performance are invited to participate, particularly those whose work or livelihood may be affected by generative AI tools.
No. The survey will not collect any personally identifiable information. All responses will be anonymous and analyzed in aggregate to understand broader trends and impacts within the performing arts community. You will have the option at the end of the survey to provide an email if you would be willing to participate in a follow-up interview related to this research.
The survey asks about four primary areas: income and job opportunities; changes to work processes and professional environments; administrative and business management practices; and future planning and project development.
As Annie Dorsen’s research partner, SMU DataArts will securely store and maintain data in the cloud at Amazon Web Services (AWS). All data hosted at AWS is secured and backed up at regular intervals. Survey data is collected via the survey management platform Alchemer and is protected by AWS global infrastructure as well as the Open Web Application Security Project (WOWASP) standards during software development process.
Data and metadata are preserved indefinitely on secure servers as well as via Alchemer. This preservation allows for future research that might include comparative analysis of multiple studies or probing the data if new research questions arise.
Yes. Please feel free to share the survey with eligible performing artists in your network. Broad participation will help ensure the findings accurately reflect the field.
Have a question not listed here? Download the full list of FAQs (PDF)