Art education in The Netherlands, which had been dominated by an expressive approach that emphasized creative self-expression, has recently changed its emphasis to reflect a discipline-based approach and the wish for more accountability in art instruction. Final examinations have been produced for secondary art classes, with the testing of art production left to the individual school and art history and analysis assessed through state-controlled written examinations students may elect to take. This study investigated the effects of art examination programs in secondary education on both the cultural participation (enjoyment and appreciation of the arts) of students later in life and their career choices. The cultural participation and careers of 1,031 students from 31 secondary schools who took the art examinations between 1975 and 1985 were studied. Students who chose the art examinations were already more culturally active before the start of the examination program in terms of art activities and art "consumption." At 10 to 20 years after the examinations, students who took them were more active consumers of art and had more favorable attitudes toward art than those who did not even when controlling for students' prior interests. Students who chose art examinations were more likely to pursue education in which art activities were required and were slightly more likely to follow careers with high cultural status, although the taking of art examinations was not related to career economic status. Whether or not art examinations should be a required part of a secondary school humanities examination packet is discussed. (Contains two figures, seven tables, and nine references.) (SLD)