In past years, teachers without professional training in the arts have often been able to avail themselves of summer institutes that introduced them to specific works of art and followed up with artists in the classroom, performance, or trips to an art museum. But what happens when such support is no longer available and teachers have to function…

When the nearest metropolis is hundreds of miles away, cultural enrichment is not always easy to come by. Arts programs have evolved to reflect the needs of such regions, providing a rich diet for culture-starved residents. Some colleges have created choirs or theater groups that welcome local participation, while others have developed elaborate…

This report summarizes the results of a research project to examine arts participation patterns in 12 diverse communities across the United States. The research involved two major components: (1) the administration of an arts participation survey to randomly selected households in each area, and (2) research into the supply of local arts programs…

Initiated by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), this project analyzed the public's desire to attend performing arts events and art museums and also reviewed barriers to such attendance. Goals of the study were to identify the characteristics of persons who stated: (1) a desire to increase their attendance at arts events; and (2) different…

A detailed history of United States government involvement with the arts from 1780 to 1985 is provided in chronological form. Entries range from notes documenting John Adams' and Thomas Jefferson's commitment to the arts to notes on annual budgets and allocations. Separate sections contain lists of the original members of the National Council on…

While the capacity to recognize and appreciate beauty may be inborn in all of us, participation in the arts as an audience or artist usually involves a learning process. What is the relationship between childhood and early adult experiences with the arts and later participation? In 1982, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the…

This handbook grew out of an experimental program called Labor Explores the Arts, begun in the fall of 1966 by the Metropolitan Center of the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations, together with several New York City unions. It was planned to be of use to training staff who want to set up such a course in their own unions. It…

Socialization is a process by which children learn the attitudes and orientations that will guide their behavior as adults. The analyses described in this report use this socialization model as a basis for describing the relationship between childhood and early adult arts-related experiences and current arts-related leisure participation. Three…

Discusses the REAP (Reviewing Education and the Arts Project) Report, a quantitative meta-analysis of arts education studies of the last 50 years. Finds little quantitative support that the arts improve reading skills, but finds a strong link between classroom drama and various language outcomes. Discusses the nature and direction of arts…

This monograph examines the extent to which the U.S. adult population was involved in personal art participation in 1992, compares it to participation in 1982, and profiles personal arts participants. The National Endowment for the Arts attempted to determine the scope of adult public participation in the arts through the Surveys of Public…

Reflects on the state of the arts in general and theatre arts in particular. Examines the role of controversy in the arts; discusses "elitism," issues of diversity and being committed to community. Argues that deep, substantive discussions are needed on the value to society of the arts and the values that the arts uphold and exemplify. (SR)

This document is a publication of the major presentations from CAREL's (Central Atlantic Regional Educational Laboratory) first writing conference held during July and August 1967. The focus of CAREL is the improvement of educational opportunities for children in the early years of schooling. It has begun the development of curriculum plans in…

Performance in drama, dance, music, puppetry, or combinations of these arts can be an exciting encounter for young children. This case study investigated one 4-year-old's responses to a children's opera. Her responses before, during, and after the performance were systematically observed and analyzed. Data showed that the child had some knowledge…

The second year's activities of a fine arts educational program, funded under ESEA Title 3 and encompassing 184 schools in five central Illinois counties, are described and evaluated. The art activities evaluated are art demonstrations, art workshops, a materials resource center, adult programs, Saturday art centers, the Logan County Fine Arts…

A symposium at the University of Kentucky in 1965 brought together 15 educators and six writers concerned with cultural values in an attempt to develop ideas for improving arts and humanities instruction in the public secondary schools. The papers presented in the symposium comprise this publication. In an introductory essay, Harold Taylor surveys…