The report discusses the Ford Foundation's support for the arts in the United States since 1981. The premise upon which the Foundation provides such support is that the arts provide an immediate and intense means of communication, both in the present and across the centuries. A potent reflector and interpreter of values, art illuminates the…

Asserts that exposure to high-quality arts performances with accompanying educational experiences enlivens teaching and learning. Maintains that few schools have taken advantage of opportunities provided by arts-presenting institutions. Describes resources from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. (CFR)

The growth of the arts in higher education during 1973-1983 was studied, based on a followup study of 17 colleges, interviews with about 80 educational leaders, and a national seminar with leading experts in the creative arts. Excluded from study were conservatories and proprietary schools. Of the 17 colleges studied in 1973, 16 continued to…