What is art?
The question of what is art has long occupied theorists and philosophers, but the issue of who or what is an artist is no less vexing. The topic arises for studio or residential space set aside exclusively for artists or when artists are counted in a census or required to pay income taxes. Then, there are surveys done by economic, social and cultural researches (artists' employment, artists' health care coverage and needs, the economic benefits of creative communities, and other related enquiries) that create a methodological problem for those looking for information. As opposed to other occupations that require a license, permits, state testing or even reported income, the label artist seems more like a value judgment, which is why employees of tattoo parlor (tattoo artists), comedians and exotic dancers (performance artists), chefs (culinary artists) and graffiti artists have all claimed the mantle at one time or another.