Arts learning can play a central role in giving students a lifelong appreciation for cultural activities and ensuring that as adults they will demand and become patrons of high-quality arts programs, according to a new report.
The report from the RAND Corp. and the Wallace Foundation points to a general decline in arts education in public schools across the country, but highlights efforts in New Jersey, Rhode Island, and other states to expand arts offerings in the curriculum.
The 150-page report points to research showing that arts education offered by schools, after-school programs, and community groups tends to motivate children to become patrons of museums, theater, and other arts programming later in life.