Arts for All Experience: Examining the experiences of individuals who receive SNAP benefits as they access arts through the Arts for All Program

Status symbols, are behaviors that individuals use to communicate their place in society (Goffman, 1950). A commonly noted status symbol is participation in the high arts. A recent study described types of music in categories ranging from high-brow, to middle-brow, and low-brow. It was found that consumers of music, particularly the high-brow, were motivated to attend concerts for reasons relating to social capital (Roose & Stichele, 2010). Arts for All is a program in Portland Oregon that offers access to high art performances by making five dollar tickets available to those who qualify for SNAP (Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program). The number of tickets purchased through the program is tracked by participating organizations, but little is known about the experiences of those who are accessing Art for All. The mixed method approach of surveying and one-on-one interviewing will be utilized to answer two questions 1) Are individuals receiving SNAP benefits aware of the Arts for All Program and why or why not have they used it? 2) What is the experience of individuals using the Arts for All Program, and what does it mean to them? A survey will ask SNAP recipients about their access to the program, and interviews will provide insight into the identity issues that arise when individuals who are low-income enter a space historically reserved the higher classes