"I think you could loosely describe it as creating content.
"That could be content in the sense of writing a story, or it could be designing a house.
"It's the creation of ideas or a product."
Whanganui's creative industries were vibrant and growing, but the pair didn't have the data to fully capture it just yet, Bugden said.
"We ask basic questions about where people work, how they work, and if they have access to the facilities and equipment they need.
"Do they have access to networks, and do they know what funding opportunities are out there?"
Community groups are also being encouraged to take part.
Individuals will be anonymous, while specific information is needed for the group option.
"We know there are far less community groups than individual creatives, but at the moment we can't draw from data or read trends," Jayasinghe said.
"After this survey there will be a much more targeted approach in terms of how we help those specific groups.
"It could be an organisation, a trust, or a collective. They are the backbone for a lot of creatives because it gives people that sense of 'working and making together'."
More and more jobs were becoming automated, but creative industries couldn't be "done by computers", Bugden said.
"This is the group of change-makers and ideas people that are going to fuel the future of our city.
"If there are programs, opportunities and gaps that they feel passionate about, this is the chance to let us know."
The council and Whanganui and Partners already offer initiatives such as the Creative Communities Scheme, Amplify and the Public Art Fund, but the pair want to know if people are aware of them, or if other offerings are needed.
One question simply asks participants if they are satisfied with the level of support both entities offer to their creative workers.
"There is a really huge number of freelancers and sole traders in this sector, far more than other sectors," Bugden said.
"They are not necessarily supported in the way traditional industries are, like farming, or types of manufacturing."
Jayasinghe said a creative worker's output often crossed a range of disciplines.
"Sometimes you have a side-hustle, and your work could cross from graphic design to being a musician and doing gigs.
"We've tried to allow for that in the survey as well. We want to capture the fact that a lot of people have a portfolio career."
Ultimately, the aim was to create a "baseline" of the city's creatives, Jayasinghe said.
"We'll use this data to inform how we provide support, that's the goal.
"Hopefully, people see this [survey] as an opportunity to be part of what happens next in our city."
The survey becomes available on Friday, October 1, and will run for three weeks.
There are four prize incentives for those who take part - $100 vouchers for Paige's Book Gallery, Aoteaora Art Supplies, or New World Whanganui.
