research

Topic: Arts Education: Adult Education

Much attention has been paid to the importance of arts education for children and young adults, but little research has addressed the instrumental and intrinsic benefits for adults. Existing research on arts programming for adults tends to focus on the incarcerated and the elderly.

Ongoing access to arts participation has a direct bearing on one’s quality of life. The main providers of adult arts education tend to be museums and community schools of the arts, and their offerings can be formal—in the form of a class—or informal—through a self-guided tour or roundtable discussion. Many opportunities exist for adults to engage in the arts as active participants and as audience members.