Welcome to the Cedar Rapids Music Census

The Results Are In!

The Cedar Rapids Music Census ran from September 6-October 15, 2024. The Census is now closed. Thank you to all the people across the Cedar Rapids Music ecosystem who took the Census and to our Community Partners who helped promote the Census to our music community. Below please find the preliminary final report and an interactive data dashboard that offer a comprehensive analysis of the Cedar Rapids music ecosystem.

To ensure the findings lead to meaningful action, the City of Cedar Rapids will host a Community Summit with community partners and local leaders to review the report’s findings and provide a platform to present ideas and solutions which will inform the final report and action plan.

If you’d like to sign up for email updates about this project and community actions, please sign up for email updates.

What is the Cedar Rapids Music Census?

The Cedar Rapids Music Census is a civic-led initiative organized to gain a better understanding of the current strengths, opportunities and needs of the Cedar Rapids music community. A keystone of this initiative is conducting a Music Census that captures key information about our music ecosystem to help city leaders and the community make better informed, data-driven decisions to support and grow our music ecosystem.

The census asks questions specific to the realities of music and live entertainment workers, creators, educators, venues, festivals, and industry including general information about their demographics and occupation types as well as their perspective on issues such as economic opportunity, professional development, affordability, music-friendly regulations, funding support, culture, and belonging. With a deeper understanding of the Cedar Rapids music ecosystem, this initiative aims to gather, grow, and showcase our music talent and offerings while guiding our city’s efforts to develop this vibrant part of our community.

The Census opened September 6, 2024 and will be open through September, during that time we are calling on anyone (18+) that identifies as working as a part of the Cedar Rapids music ecosystem/industry/scene to participate. Please plan to share your voice!

This initiative is being led by the City of Cedar Rapids, VenuWorks, Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, and Cedar Rapids Tourism. The Census is administered by Sound Music Cities, a civic-oriented and leading provider of music ecosystem studies and music census work.

Cedar Rapids Music Census Geography

The census is surveying the Cedar Rapids Metro Area, which includes the Linn, Benton, and Jones Counties. If you work as part of the Cedar Rapids music ecosystem, even if you live outside the Cedar Rapids MSA, please take the Census.

Thank You To Our Community Partners & Ambassadors:

The Cedar Rapids Music Census is honored to have over 50 Community Engagement Partners and Ambassadors who are helping our community to conduct the most extensive survey of the Cedar Rapids music ecosystem. These partners are helping to get the word out to the music community to take the Census. It takes a village to reach a village, and we’re grateful to have your support.

FAQs

I am a music fan, should I participate?

Oddly no, even though your continued support and interest is probably the most important benefit that a music scene can hope for, this Census is aimed at people working in music in any capacity instead of fans. On behalf of all the tireless workers in music who create what you love, we appreciate and thank you. If you know of any people working in music, please encourage them to take the census so that we can understand and strengthen the music scene. .

Why is this data being collected?

Music community leaders here in Cedar Rapids and across the county have identified the importance of having measurable information about people who do music related work to provide them with better support. The results of this census will be made available to the many music industry professionals, nonprofits, and government agencies in our area, as well as to the countless music patrons and consumers who are the lifeblood of our music ecosystem.

What kind of questions are being asked?

The census asks questions specific to the realities of music workers, including general information about their demographics and occupation types as well as their perspective on issues such as how to develop our music ecosystem, workforce development, how government and community can better support the music ecosystem, livability of our community for music workers, as well as the culture and belonging of our music ecosystem.

I value my privacy. Will the answers I provide really remain anonymous?

Yes. The census does not collect any personal identifiers or IP addresses. Any individual responses highlighted in the published results will be attributed as “Census Respondent.”

How long will it take to fill out the census?

From 10-15 minutes, depending on your respondent category. (Creative, Venue/Presenter/Festival/Promoter, or Industry) and whether you type in lengthy comments. 13 minutes is the average time spent on the census.

Who is eligible to participate in the census?

Those working in the Cedar Rapids music ecosystem in ANY capacity (paid or unpaid) who are 18 years or older and living in the Cedar Rapids metro area which includes: Linn County, Benton County, and Jones County. If you work as part of the Cedar Rapids music ecosystem, even if you live outside the Cedar Rapids MSA, please take the Census.

I’m not sure that I qualify as a professional. Should I still participate?

You should participate in the census if you contribute any type of music-related work, with or without compensation, and you believe your skills and commitment are worthy of acknowledgement and support. This includes part-time work, rarely paid work or volunteer work, and work that is more administrative than creative.

How do I fill out the census if I have two different jobs in music, or own two or more music businesses?

To keep the data analysis manageable, we must limit the census to one entry per person, which means you must select one primary identity (creative, venue/presenter/festival/promoter, or industry). That said, we know that most music people work in more than one area, so you will also have an opportunity within the census to provide info on work you do in other identity categories.

Do I have to take the census on a desktop computer?

No. You can use a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Note that if you wish to leave and finish your response later, you will need to use the same device.