Youth Arts Residencies: Implications for Policy and Education

Abstract

This article considers youth arts residencies in the context of historical and contemporary arts policies. Arts residencies, delivered by professional artists and arts educators, have been a mainstay of the cultural sector since the artists-in-schools program was established by the National Endowment for the Arts to address issues of access to the arts for all Americans and are an essential component of federal arts education support. Changing patterns of participation in the arts are transforming the ways that young people gain entry and sustain lifelong learning in the arts; and the maturation of the teaching-artist field is resulting in changes in arts education delivery mechanisms—all of which have implications for arts education training and preparation through higher education and professional development. The purpose of the article is to call attention to policy issues and priorities that are shaping the arts residency field and that can inform programs, education, and research in theatre for youth, theatre education, and arts education.