Columbus-area musicians are struggling to make a professional living or even enough money to support their talents as a hobby, a groundbreaking local "music census" shows.

Why it matters: The region needs to take proactive steps to support its music scene or risk losing artists to other places, a local music nonprofit that commissioned the study concludes.

What they did: Music Columbus and data company Sound Music Cities partnered on a survey that gathered 1,555 anonymous responses from around Central Ohio.

• Most surveyed are musicians, along with a few hundred industry professionals including producers, marketers and performance venue workers.

Here are some top takeaways:

😀 Respondents generally have a positive opinion of the local music scene, with a majority viewing it as cooperative, inclusive and culturally rich.

Music professionals are experienced but less diverse than the city as a whole.

• Two-thirds of respondents have been in the business for over 10 years.
• Straight, white men dominate the scene — 70% of survey respondents are male and 74% are white, both disproportionate to local population figures.

😬 Musicians have major concerns about their career opportunities.

• A whopping 90% said low or uncertain pay is their greatest music challenge.

💵 Stunning stat: The average annual income for performers is $19,390, with the average pay for a local gig being $233.

💼 The vast majority (68%) work another job outside of music for additional income and benefits.

• Just 39% are members of a professional trade or music licensing organization that can provide extra income. Even fewer have a higher education degree in music.

What's next: Music Columbus plans to meet with musicians and industry pros to chart a better path forward.

• The group wants to see career development workshops, plus better gig payment standards and marketing of local artists.

The intrigue: It's also eyeing the possibility of duplicating a program used in Memphis and Tulsa to encourage musicians to stay local.

• The Memphis program "subsidizes working musicians, allowing them to tour, build audiences outside the city, and sustain their careers."

If you want to support our live music scene, here are some intimate venues worth visiting and shows featuring Columbus artists:

🐇 Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge, live jazz almost every night.

• 17 Buttles Ave.
• Coming up: Mary McClendon. 6pm and 8:15pm Thursday. $10.

🍕 Natalie's, a local music staple with legendary wood-fired pizza.

• 945 King Ave.
• Coming up: Reggae group The Ark Band. 8pm Saturday. $20-25.

🎸 Rumba Cafe, a laid-back dive with about a 100-person capacity.

• 2507 Summit St.
• Coming up: A blues-rock show, with X-Rated Cowboys opening for the Patrick Sweany Band of Massillon. 7pm Aug. 15. $20.

🎶 Woodlands Tavern, featuring delicious smash burgers from Blackbird Kitchen.

• 1200 W. 3rd Ave.
• Coming up: Happy hour with acoustic duo So Peachy. 6pm Aug. 27. Free!

🃏 Ace of Cups, Sunday karaoke and monthly emo night just north of OSU's campus.

• 2619 N. High St.
• Coming up: Rock trio Van Dale. 7pm Aug. 31. $10.

Quality journalism is essential for a thriving community.

Support local journalism by joining Axios Columbus as a member.

• For $50+ a year, you'll gain access to exclusive insider notes and help us expand our coverage of the issues that matter most to you.

Together, we can make a difference in keeping our community informed and engaged.

Thank you for your consideration.

👋 Alissa here. If you're searching for the perfect Ohio State Fair snack and have an adventurous palate, I think I've cracked the code.

It's deviled eggs, with 16 flavors including espresso, bubblegum and hot dog.

• I know, I know … but hear me out.

What I ate: A "new flavor flight" at the Ohio Poultry Association's Devilishly Good stand, featuring the three aforementioned flavors, plus dill pickle, Buffalo chicken, and maple bacon ($14).

💭 My thought bubble: Six deviled eggs contain 18 grams of protein to keep you full and energized.

• The cold food is light on your stomach on a hot day.
• The stand supports Ohio agriculture, the backbone of the fair.
• Plus: It's eye-catchingly odd — and isn't that the point of fair food?

Yes, but: Bubblegum with crunchy pearl sprinkles was a bit too odd. It was the only flavor I just couldn't get behind.

• Espresso, topped with a chocolate-covered bean, was surprisingly tasty.
• Dill pickle and Buffalo chicken were so good I went back for seconds.

The intrigue: This year's flavors were finalists from "40 or 50" ideas, association executive vice president Jim Chakeres tells Axios, so who knows what next year will bring.

Stop by: Taste of Ohio Pavilion, near the south gate. Through Aug. 4. Pricing and hours.

🏊 Former OSU swimmer Hunter Armstrong won a gold medal Saturday in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. (WBNS-TV)

🤠 Rodeos at the Rancho Centenario ranch near Galloway are helping to keep the Mexican tradition alive. (Dispatch)

🏗️ The problem-plagued Latitude 525 towers on the Near East Side could be torn down and replaced with hundreds of affordable housing units. (WOSU)

The Tuttle, Lincoln and Dodge city pools reopened over the weekend after shutting down last week due to apparent vandalism involving glass shards. (WSYX-TV)