Introducing our new monthly feature for 2025 – Professor Pat Thomson, our Senior Evidence Associate, surveys the latest research on arts and cultural learning. Each month Professor Thomson puts a spotlight on a report that is particularly relevant for CLA, and which adds to the growing body of evidence on the value of arts teaching and experiences, in and out of school. This month we have a focus on the value of out-of-school arts programmes for young people in underserved communities. The research originates from Australia and the United States and draws on 11 international studies.
Exploring the Long-Term Impact of Out-of-School Arts Programs: Participation Among Marginalized Youth
Nelligan, P; DiGiacomo, D, Chew, P, Sefton-Green, J, Peppler, K and Mejias, S. (2024) International Journal for Research on Extended Education 12 (1) 5-22.
This systematic review provides evidence of the lasting benefits of out-of-school arts programmes for young people. Drawing from an initial pool of 683 academic articles published between 1995 and 2021, researchers ultimately found only 11 studies focusing on long-term impact, with each study tracking marginalised youth aged 9-25 years for at least two years after programme completion, some following young people for up to a decade. Of the final 11 studies examined, six used qualitative methods to capture rich personal narratives, two employed quantitative analysis for broader patterns, and three combined both approaches.
The review showed four interrelated types of benefits from out of school arts participation. Academic and employment outcomes showed significant improvement, with many participants developing not just artistic practices, but also transferable capabilities that afforded access to higher education and meaningful employment. There was a significant impact on identity and self-concept/self-belief, as young people discovered new ways of understanding themselves and their potential through artistic expression. There was also evidence that arts participation fostered socio-political consciousness and civic engagement. Young people who participated in out of school arts programmes became more engaged citizens, developing leadership skills and a stronger sense of their role in their communities. The final benefit was related to wellbeing and behaviour, where researchers found consistent improvements in mental health, social relationships, and life satisfaction.
These four benefits reinforced each other. A young person might for example join an arts program to learn photography, but end up building confidence that helped them succeed academically, while also building relationships that supported their mental health and wellbeing. These interconnected benefits often strengthened over time, creating positive effects that continued long after the program had ended.
This study provides evidence that the work of arts organisations can create lasting, meaningful change especially for the most disadvantaged young people. There is also a suggestion that out of school arts programmes may go some way to ameliorate the negative effects of declining school arts education. Furthermore, the study speaks clearly to the pressure to demonstrate immediate results – the review suggests that some of the most significant impacts emerge and evolve over years rather than months. The review supports CLA’s view that the evaluation of arts programmes needs to go beyond immediate outcomes to understand their longer-term benefits.
