Largely owing to budget cutbacks, arts education is scarce in many public schools, especially in disadvantaged communities. According to this report, though, a “strikingly different landscape,” is found outside of school. Why might this disparity exist? Digital technologies are offering young people new ways to engage in the arts on their own time and according to their own interests. The report provides an understanding of this new territory of “interest-driven” arts learning. It includes a rundown of schol¬arship in the areas of arts and out-of-school-hours learning; a framework for thinking about interest-driven arts learning in a digital age; an examination of young people’s media consump¬tion; and a survey of their creative endeavors online and elsewhere, along with a look at the proliferation of the technologies young people are using in the arts. The report concludes with thoughts about challenges and suggestions for future research, practice and policy, such as connecting youth to helpful online resources (e.g., Kickstarter) and using social networking to invite young people to display their work in curated online exhibits.

Points of Interest

  • The surge in self-directed art-making among youth is fueled to a large degree by new technologies, which have radically transformed the ability to collaborate on, share and publish work.
    New technologies make it easier to share/publish work, fueling a surge in kids’ self-directed #art-making.
  • Nowhere are youths combining old and new media and high- and low-tech work more than in the visual arts. That’s partly because teens can easily capture their original artwork and post it online.
    #Teens are combining old & new #media, high- & low-tech work more in visual #arts than anywhere else.
  • Contrary to popular belief, by using digital technologies youths are making a renewed commitment to the arts that is invigorated by new variations of traditional art forms.
    #Digital #tech helping #teens make renewed commitment to the #arts, apply new tech to older art forms.