The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has submitted the following public information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 [Pub. L. 104–13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35]. Copies of the ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by contacting Sunil Iyengar via telephone at (202) 682–5654 (this is not a toll-free number) or email at
Comments should be sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the National Endowment for the Arts, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, (202) 395–7316, within 30 days from the date of this publication in the
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is particularly interested in comments which:
• Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques, or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.
This request is for clearance of an arts supplement for the 2012 General Social Survey (GSS), to be conducted by the National Opinion Research Center. The supplement will include questions about self-reported motivations and barriers associated with attending selected art activities. The results will help to address an existing research gap of why Americans choose to attend—or not attend—activities such as visual arts exhibits or music, dance, or theater performances. These data will supplement the data collected by the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, which was not designed to collect this information. The GSS is one of the most cited and recognized sources of information in the social sciences. The data will be publicly available and the basis for a range of NEA reports and independent research publications.