NORRISTOWN PA – What’s good, or what’s not, about the arts and culture scene across communities in Montgomery County PA? That’s a question a group calling itself Creative Montco hopes the county’s residents are willing to answer.

Creative Montco hopes you'll participate

Creative MontCo describes itself as a “civic initiative that strives to shape” the Southeastern Pennsylvania county’s cultural and economic future, “based on the belief that culture and creativity are among a community’s most powerful assets.” To better understand the public perception of its current arts and culture, it launched an online survey of 24 questions during February (2012) and is still soliciting responses.

Area residents are asked to share their favorite cultural activities, experiences or places in the county, as well as their opinions about the future direction of the local arts. You can take the survey here.

So far, according to Dr. Karen A. Stout, president of Montgomery County Community College and chair of Creative MontCo, the survey has yielded noteworthy results about the county’s 380 non-profit cultural organizations.

Almost half of them are small, Stout said, but added that “48 percent have budgets greater than $25,000, significantly higher than the national percentage of 31 percent.” Many also are less than 10 years old, “making the work of Creative MontCo vital for creating an atmosphere where they can mature and flourish.”

Survey answers are anonymous, and results will be reported in totals only.

Creative MontCo is supported in part by grants from the William Penn Foundation and the Montgomery Foundation.