‘Music census’ aims to count Alaska’s musicians and measure their impact

A new online census is aiming to count the number of amateur and professional musicians in Alaska. 

The Alaska Music Census runs through Sept. 2 and is the work of the Alaska Independent Musicians Initiative, a project of the Northern Culture Exchange, an Anchorage-based nonprofit.

Data collected from the census will be used to compile reports on the size of Alaska’s music scene, with initial data expected later this year. 

Organizers say the data will be useful for explaining the economic importance of Alaska’s musical industry, which could encourage investment.

The census also includes businesses and organizations that earn money from the music industry and was based on a similar census that took place earlier this year in Oregon.