Survey to Take the Measure of L.A.’s Artistic Tastes : Arts: The study will be used to shape Los Angeles’ Cultural Masterplan.

The U.S. Census Bureau isn’t the only organization that’s got your number. If you’re on the mailing list of any arts organization in L.A. County, you may receive a detailed survey this week asking questions about your theatergoing experiences, what prevents you from attending art exhibits, and where you like to go to see arts events.

The 40-question survey--5,000 of which have been sent out to artists and audience members throughout the county--is part of a study that will be used to shape Los Angeles’ five-year Cultural Masterplan. An additional 2,000 surveys will be mailed next week to arts organizations throughout the county.

“It’s a really important survey because it’s an opportunity to collect information about all of the arts community,” said Moira Adams, project manager for Morris McNeill, the L.A. research firm conducting the study. “The study will be used to set the goals and plans for arts spending for the next five years.”

Adams said the 5,000 artists and arts goers who have been sent the study were chosen from 200,000 names compiled from nearly 100 mailing lists from diverse arts organizations such as the Music Center, the Korean Cultural Center and Plaza de la Raza. Those receiving the survey were chosen so as to reflect artists and audience members from all disciplines and ethnic groups, she said.

“In the audience survey, we ask questions about their general opinions, questions like what they want to see funded, where they want to see arts presented, what disciplines they’re interested in, how often they attend, and what they think the purpose of art is,” Adams said. “This will give us general opinion information as to how people perceive the arts and whether they think it is important for Los Angeles to be a major arts center.”

Adams explained that the survey’s results will also be used for a Nexus Study that is required before the Percent for Art program--which allocates 1% of the cost of private commercial developments to the city’s arts fund--can be put into effect. The latter study is the result of a new state law which requires that cities show a connection between fees on developments and what the revenues will be spent on.

“We have to show a link between commercial development and increased cultural facilities, and we’re hoping through this survey to get information on which to base that connection,” Adams said. “What we want to show is that increased development brings more people into the area, which brings an increased burden on the cultural services. . . . (But) we expect some of the developers might challenge that connection in court, so our research has to be very sound so it stands up. . . . The response to this survey is very critical.”

Adams added that the artists’ survey will ask questions about work spaces, demographics, funding and other areas in an attempt to “really get a sense of what their needs are . . . in all the disciplines and in all ethnic groups.”