The COVID-19 Sector Benchmark Dashboard is a project developed by TRG Arts, SMU DataArts' longtime partner in advancing the arts and culture sector, in collaboration with U.K.-based audience analytics company Purple Seven. The project was launched in early April 2020. The dashboard, which is free, provides near real-time intelligence and advice to help arts leaders see results as they respond to the pandemic.

When an organization signs up for the dashboard, an automated data feed is set up between the organization’s box office and the dashboard’s secure server. The automated feed provides a daily update on ticket sales, refunds and donations for the organization. In addition, data from all other organizations participating in the dashboard is aggregated in an anonymous format to create a national benchmark, which shows up on the dashboard and allows an organization to see how it compares with a large group of its peers. The dashboard is entirely anonymous, so no one else’s sales figures or customer data are identifiable to an organization. The dashboard provides daily insights for individual organizations that they can share with constituents and stakeholders; reveals sector trends in almost real-time, which can assist in short- and long-term planning; allows arts leaders and policy makers to track daily sales data across entire sectors; and by data gathering and benchmarking across the U.K., Canada and the U.S., gives a clearer picture of the effects of the virus on the arts sector and the recovery in each country. Monthly Insight Reports will be posted on the SMU DataArts and TRG Arts websites.

Currently, nearly 400 arts organizations in the U.K. and the U.S. are participating in the dashboard, and SMU DataArts and TRG Arts hope to increase that to 1,000 with the help of the NEA grant announced on July 14, which will allow secure feeds to be established with five additional ticketing software providers. SMU DataArts will integrate data collected through the project into its larger data set on arts organizations and their communities nationwide to research important issues in patronage and sustainability.

For more information about the COVID-19 Sector Benchmark Dashboard, including instructions on how to enroll, visit https://go.trgarts.com/benchmark.