Youth Arts Access: Entry Points and Amplification of Voice
Session Number: ACM1Track: Arts, Culture, and AudiencesSession Type: TIG MultipaperFostering Gateway Experiences: Factors that Optimize Engagement at Performances for Young AudiencesField trips to museums and performing arts centers are not frequent for most students, so how do cultural organizations learn how to make the most of these limited but potentially valuable “gateway experiences” towards increased arts participation? This paper examines the development of a short engagement survey instrument that was administered during two seasons of performances across art forms and grade levels. The engagement construct, the instrument psychometrics, and the multiple collector modalities that were used to gather data from diverse student populations will be discussed. The survey findings will then be presented looking at which factors may optimize engagement in the arts experience for whom. Practical implications for audience recruitment, accessibility supports, and educational wrap-around will be offered.Authors: Don Glass and Charles Beekman