Survey Administration Guidelines for Grantees_Hand-Out, Mail-Back

National Endowment for the Arts
How the Arts Affect Audiences – Pilot Study
Data Collection Guidelines:
Hand-Out, Mail-Back Survey Administration

Background of the Study
In October 2010, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) released a strategic plan
establishing a new set of goals, outcomes, and performance measures for the Agency. Under the
plan, a critical NEA goal is to “engage the public with diverse and excellent art” so that three
specific outcomes are achieved. The first outcome is that “Americans throughout the Nation
Experience Art.”
To track its performance in achieving this outcome, the NEA will conduct a survey of audiences
at NEA- funded arts events nationwide. The survey will allow the NEA to measure the
percentage of audiences “affected” by attendance at NEA-funded projects.
The rationale for this measure is simple: individual encounters with art can prove
transformative. As NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman has stated: “Art works on and within people
to change and inspire them; it addresses the need people have to create, to imagine, to aspire
to something more.” As a partial measure of its success, the Agency plans to gauge the quality,
depth, and nature of audience responses to NEA- funded projects.

Purpose
The purpose of this document is to communicate essential information to participating
grantees, including instructions for creating a sampling plan, and guidelines for surveying
audiences that will maximize the probability of successful data collection efforts. WolfBrown
(www.wolfbrown.com) prepared these guidelines for the National Endowment for the Arts.

National Endowment for the Arts – Pilot Study: How Arts Affect Audiences

Overview
As patrons leave the venue, a “survey packet” should be handed to every “Nth” patron (“N”
stands for the number by which you count patrons in order to identify those who receive the
survey (e.g. every 3rd person get a survey packet), thereby ensuring random selection.)
Determining the appropriate “N” will depend on the size of your house and will be determined
in consultation with WolfBrown.
Considerations when handing out survey packets:
Every exit must be staffed in order to assure that surveys are randomly distributed
Be aware that it is difficult to ensure random distribution of surveys, and many audience
members exit quickly without taking a survey
As the packet is handed out, survey staff should attempt to look each patron in the eye
and quickly say, “Thanks for your feedback on tonight’s performance”
If two people in the same party receive packets, one of them is likely to try to return the
packet to survey staff. In this situation, staff should try to explain to the patron that
responses are needed from both people
If your house is small, surveys should be handed to every patron as they exit
This survey distribution methodology can be challenging, as the general pattern and
velocity of egress varies so much, and some people refuse to take a packet
In addition to distributing survey packets after the performance, survey staff will also count the
number of women and men within two to three sections in the venue (to be decided upon with
WolfBrown). This is a simple count and requires no interaction with the audience and will help
us understand the natural gender bias associated with surveying (i.e., women are expected to
respond at higher rates than men).
No survey collection effort is necessary at your venue. The instructions printed on the outer
envelope and on the survey direct respondents to take the survey home, complete it within 24
hours of the performance, and mail it back in the reply envelope. Some respondents may still try
to return their surveys before leaving. Ushers and staff should be advised to tell these
individuals that they MUST mail back the form in the postage-paid envelope provided in order to
have their answers counted.

Survey Packets
The survey packet consists of the following components:
1. A cover letter from the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts
2. The survey itself (details to be confirmed)
3. A custom printed outer envelope with instructions to take the envelope home,
complete the survey within 24 hours, and return it by mail
4. A postage-paid reply envelope, addressed to WolfBrown
Your survey packets will be shipped to you by our printer, Business Services Network, and will
arrive assembled and ready for distribution.

© 2011 WolfBrown

Data Collection Guidelines:
Hand-Out, Mail-Back Survey Administration

2

National Endowment for the Arts – Pilot Study: How Arts Affect Audiences

Staffing Requirements and Responsibilities
You will need a “survey captain” who is in charge of handing out surveys at each of your
sampled performances (i.e., the same person for all events is strongly preferred). An adequate
number of volunteer or staff persons will be needed to cover all exits. Prior to the show to be
surveyed, the survey captain should:
Liaise with WolfBrown regarding expected audience size to determine number of
surveys to be distributed
Schedule time with WolfBrown to review procedures several days in advance of the
event
Make sure that survey packets have been delivered to the venue, and all other materials
are ready
Meet in advance with the house manager to alert him/her to the survey effort, work out
logistics, and make sure that ushers and volunteers are briefed, so they can answer
questions from patrons about the survey
Schedule staff/volunteers to assist with survey distribution
Ensure that response enhancement efforts are carried out (see Response Enhancement
Efforts)
Check with select office staff to find out how many tickets are sold to calculate “N” with
WolfBrown liaison
Assign survey crew to count men and women in appropriate sections (i.e., sections
where seats are sold)
Following each surveyed event, submit online Reporting Requirements (see Reporting
Requirements)

Materials Checklist
The grantee is responsible for providing all materials listed below, except where specified.
1. Lobby signage (“Important Survey Tonight”)
2. Curtain Announcement Script (see Response Enhancement Efforts)
3. Survey Packets (provided by WolfBrown)

Reporting Requirements
After the survey administration, please submit the following information using the online
reporting system:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Name of event
Date of event
The final audience count
Count of men and women in identified sections
The actual numbers of surveys distributed
Number of refusals (if possible)
Notes about survey experience for each date (e.g. notable or out of the ordinary that could
affect that data)

© 2011 WolfBrown

Data Collection Guidelines:
Hand-Out, Mail-Back Survey Administration

3

National Endowment for the Arts – Pilot Study: How Arts Affect Audiences

Response Enhancement Efforts
The following efforts are suggested to increase the likelihood of cooperation and response.
1. Lobby Signage. At surveyed performances, several large signs should be placed on
easels at key locations in the lobby saying “Audience Survey Tonight – Your cooperation
is greatly appreciated!” with the NEA logo.
2. Curtain Announcements. An announcement from the stage 10 minutes prior to curtain,
welcoming patrons to the theatre and asking for their cooperation with the survey. You
may modify the following language to suit your venue as an addition to the script of
your regular pre-curtain announcements (e.g., asking patrons to silence cell phones):
[10 minutes prior to curtain]. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to
tonight’s performance of [Title]. The National Endowment for the Arts very much
needs your feedback on tonight’s performance. Staff will be distributing take-home
surveys as you exit the theatre. We kindly request your cooperation if you are
handed a survey, as your feedback is essential to our future work. Thank you, and
enjoy the show.”

© 2011 WolfBrown

Data Collection Guidelines:
Hand-Out, Mail-Back Survey Administration

4