When AMS Planning & Research began working with Americans for the Arts on its strategic planning process, an essential part of the effort was a comprehensive national environmental scan. The scan explored opportunities and challenges facing America’s arts and culture sector by gathering input from more than 6,000 individuals who represent the breadth of the field. The process included literature review, interviews, focus groups, online surveys, and conference workshops. Over the course of AMS’s research, it heard many common refrains from participants—regardless of artistic discipline, geography, or organization’s budget size: the world is changing at a rapid speed and old strategies are becoming increasingly less effective. Participants reiterated their firm beliefs that arts and culture are a central element of the American experience and that it is important that the sector continue to serve its essential role in society as observer, commentator, critic, motivator, community builder, and educator. We were fortunate that so many diverse individuals and organizations offered their observations and insights.

Americans for the Arts’ Monograph series featured in-depth issue papers on topics that were of the greatest interest to our members and arts professionals at the time. They often still serve as excellent resources for best practices and historic reference for today’s issues. Monographs were produced from 1993–2010. Monographs from 2001-2010 are available for downloadable in PDF format our online store at a nominal fee for nonmembers but free to members. All monographs from 1993-2000 are available for free download via the National Arts Administration and Policy Publications Database.

When AMS Planning & Research began working with Americans for the Arts on its strategic planning process, an essential part of the effort was a comprehensive national environmental scan. The scan explored opportunities and challenges facing America’s arts and culture sector by gathering input from more than 6,000 individuals who represent the breadth of the field.