Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that more than 2 million people were employed (in primary jobs) as artists in 1999 - a gain of 76,000 workers over the 1998 figure. An additional 298,000 people held secondary jobs in artist occupations. This note also features a section on earnings and projected employment growth for select artist occupations taken from the BLS' Occupational Outlook Handbook..