NEW REPORT ON ARTS PARTICIPATION FROM ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND
Taking Part, a new report from Arts Council England, makes the case that childhood arts experience plays a major role in adult arts participation.
Findings include:
• being encouraged to get involved in the arts as a child increases the chances of being an active arts consumer as an adult
• the effect of childhood experience is very strong, nearing in magnitude the effect of education – the strongest predictor of arts engagement
• the level of parental encouragement differs by family background and personal demographics: parents of high social status are more likely to encourage their children to engage in the arts; girls and white children are more likely to receive encouragement than boys and children who are not white
• this research highlights the importance of initiatives such as Find Your Talent, which ensure all children have an opportunity to engage in the arts
• further research is needed on the relative importance of family and school in influencing life-long patterns of engagement