Fill out the idaho music census!
INDIVIDUAL survey
Please fill out the individual survey if you are a musician, music worker, music educator, or do other music related work in the industry.
Business survey
Please also fill out the business survey if you are the owner or key representative for ANY music business registered in the state of Idaho.
Amplifying Impact, in collaboration with Music Idaho, is conducting a community engaged state wide music census in Idaho. The first of its kind in the state, this project seeks to better understand the economic and cultural impacts of Idaho’s music ecosystem in order to support policy advocates and leaders in future decision making. This data is important because it ensures musicians can have real conversations about the impact of their work in the state of Idaho.
This project is funded by National Science Foundation and the Transform Program at Boise State University
Photo: Omar Saucedo
Understanding Creative Impact, Starting in Idaho
This project investigates the economic, cultural, and community development impacts of Idaho’s music industry, with Treefort Music Fest serving as a focal point to understand how creative ecosystems contribute to statewide vitality.
By utilizing economic modeling, qualitative interviews, and case study analysis, the project will generate a baseline for understanding music’s role in placemaking, workforce development, and entrepreneurship across urban and rural Idaho.
This data infrastructure will assess Idaho’s music sector's current economic contributions and identify barriers and opportunities for sustainable growth, equipping Idaho with a scalable tool to better understand and strategically support emerging and underrepresented industries statewide.
Photo: Omar Saucedo
LOng term learning from music research
Idaho is an extraordinary place to do this work. Creativity here is deeply tied to place and is often shaped by geography, community, and a strong ethic of self-reliance. Across the state, artists, organizers, and cultural workers consistently find ways to create opportunity, build community, and contribute to local economies, often with limited visibility or formal support.
What makes Idaho especially compelling is the way creative work operates across boundaries. Musicians, festivals, educators, and cultural organizations frequently serve multiple roles at once, contributing to economic activity, placemaking, workforce development, and community identity. These contributions matter, but they are not always fully recognized or understood within existing data systems or policy conversations.
This project is grounded in the belief that Idaho’s creative communities deserve tools and frameworks that reflect the full scope of their impact. By working directly with partners across the state, we aim to generate insights that honor lived experience, strengthen local decision-making, and help position Idaho as a place where creative ecosystems are understood, supported, and sustained.
Photo: Omar Saucedo
Links & additional information
Have questions? Want to learn about census efforts in other states, local organizations supporting the Idaho Music Census? Check out the tabs below!
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Where can I find the Idaho Music Census?
https://www.amplifying-impact.com/idaho-music-census
Do I have to be a full time musician?
No! Many musicians have a “day job” and do their work in music “after hours?” The Idaho Music Census is here to help capture all pieces of the musical pie - both small or large, part time or full time.
Do I have to have a W2 with a music organization to qualify as a working musician?
No! Many musicians earn a statistically significant percentage of their income through 1099 and/or 1040 (Schedule C) activity (e.g. private studio teaching, freelance performance, work with religious organizations, recording, and contract teaching.
What if I am a music business owner or music related non-profit director in addition to being an independent music worker? How do I answer the Idaho Music Census survey?
Lucky you! You get to take the survey twice: once answering the questions that are specific to you as an individual musician related to your personal work and income; second as a business owner or non-profit administrator answering questions about your business as a whole.
As a business owner, do I have to report each employee separately within the Idaho Music Census?
No! You just need to focus on responding for your business or non-profit organization. But we would LOVE to have each of your employees complete the Idaho Music Census survey as an individual musician or music worker.
How long is the survey open?
Until October 1, 2026
You’ve asked me about my financial data, if my information is protected and anonymous?
The risks associated with this study are minimal and no greater than those encountered in everyday life. Some questions related to income, professional challenges, or business practices may feel sensitive. The census is completely anonymous and no identifying information is collected or recorded.
Why should I take the Idaho Music Census? What are you planning to achieve with this census?
This study seeks to better understand the roles, experiences, needs, and contributions of individuals and organizations involved in music across Idaho. The results of this study will help establish a baseline understanding of Idaho’s music sector and inform public policy discussions, economic development strategies, and community planning initiatives statewide.
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Music Idaho is a collective of organizational stakeholders advocating to increase professional development opportunities, reduce barriers to music creation and career sustainability, and support a thriving ecosystem for Idaho’s music sector.
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The Cascadia Music Collective is a group of organizations and individuals working together to develop a more sustainable future for live music and collaborative policy making.
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Take a deep dive and learn more about the research conducted in neighboring Northwestern States! Much of the research taking place for the Idaho Music Census is based on these projects, surveys, and the input we’ve received from various collaborators from these projects.
PROJECT PARTNERS
