The Census
The record itself, published region by region: artists working now, with their consent and on their own terms.
Who is counted
Anyone alive today who makes art as a continuing practice, in any medium, whether or not it pays. We ask how you work, not who has vouched for you.
No artist is ever charged to be counted, and inclusion is never contingent on sales, representation, schooling or reputation.
The census is not limited to any country or region. Artists anywhere can add themselves now.
Free, open and permanent
Open licence, free to read, free to cite, free to build on.
The census and its findings are published free, complete and permanent, with no paywall and no embargo. Our data is open for reuse and citation, including by people who disagree with us. Corrections are made in the open, dated and described, and earlier versions remain retrievable.
What a record holds
Each record holds what is needed to count an artist and describe the conditions of the work, and no more.
| What we ask | Why we ask it | What is published |
|---|---|---|
| Name, as you want it recorded | So the record is yours, in your own words. | Only if you choose to be listed. |
| Country and city | To count artists where they actually work, not where the data happens to be collected. | In aggregate by city and region, and on your entry if you are listed. |
| Mediums | To describe the field as it is practised. | In aggregate, and on your entry if you are listed. |
| Year you began working | To see the careers the market has not yet recorded. | In aggregate only. |
| Training | Because self-taught artists fall out of every count built on degrees. | In aggregate only. |
| How the work is funded | Because artists who fund the studio with a second job fall out of every count built on occupation. | In aggregate only. |
| Year of birth | To describe the field by generation. Optional. | In aggregate only. |
| Email address | To confirm your record and let you correct it. | Never. |
Your record, on your terms
We record people, not assets. Artists appear on their own terms, with their consent, and may review and correct what we hold about them at any time.
Listed by name
Your name, city, mediums and website appear in the published census, and you are counted in every figure.
Counted, not named
You are counted in every figure. Your name and website are never published.
Changed or withdrawn
Write to office@chronicleoflivingartists.org from the address you registered with, and we will correct your record or remove it.
Questions
Does it cost anything to be counted?
No. No artist is ever charged to be counted.
Do I need a gallery, a degree or a sales history?
No. Inclusion is never contingent on sales, representation, schooling or reputation. Those are the filters the existing record already applies, and they are why so many artists are missing from it.
Will my information be sold, or shared with dealers or collectors?
No. We hold no inventory, take no commission and advise no collector. We are not in the market we measure. Your email address is never published or shared.
Can I change or remove my record later?
Yes, at any time. Write to office@chronicleoflivingartists.org from the address you registered with.
Where do I need to live to be counted?
Anywhere. The census counts artists in every country.
Who decides whether I count as an artist?
You do. We ask how you work, in what medium and under what conditions. We do not ask anyone to vouch for you.
Add yourself to the count
It takes a few minutes, it costs nothing, and you decide whether your name is published.