Theatre Education Outcomes

Are we approaching a clear case statement?

Tuesday, October 15, 2:00pm – 4:30pm

Organized and facilitated by Emily Miller, director of Strategic Partnerships & Programs, Theatre Forward.

Presented by Patrick Elkins-Zeglarski, associate director of Education and Curriculum Management, Denver Center for the Performing Arts; Dr. Rob Horowitz, evaluator, ArtsResearch; and Rachel Hull, director, School of Theatre, Berkeley Rep.

How can program providers and funders work together to increase access to arts education for all students? Theatre Forward will use their recent collective research studies as a springboard for a highly interactive session that will explore such questions as, “When is enough data enough?”, “What additional insights are needed?”, “How can this data best be shared?”, and “What are some of the operational and research challenges in gathering data around arts education programs as they are currently delivered?”. Theatre Forward’s survey and data analytical findings were executed with the support of AT&T, Westat, The Hearst Foundations, Wells Fargo, and others to assess outcomes from the point of view of corporate executives, Theatre educators, and students. Programs surveyed include creative after school projects, enriched student matinees, playwriting, and performance exercises at our 19-member theatres located across the country. This data confirms the positive impact of theatre education on social emotional learning, school engagement, and life and career outcomes.