IMPACT POINTS
85% of places of worship sponsor artistic activities each year.
A cultural organization in a community has been shown to increase nearby residential property values by up to 20%.
Disadvantaged nieghborhoods with high rates of arts participation consistently have the lowest rates of juvenile delinquency.
Religious practice is enhanced with art. Six out of every seven places of worship (85%) sponsor artistic activities each year.
A study in the United Kingdom found that 20% of people who engaged in participatory arts felt differently about their rights after participating.
Arts participation in neighborhood arts projects helps to build trust, a key measurement of social capital and civic engagement. A Philadelphia study of the Porchlight project shows a substantial increase in social cohesion and trust in neighborhoods where murals were installed.
Center for Arts and Cultural Policy Studies. (1999). Places of Worship as Venues for Artistic Activities. Princeton University Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Retrieved 9 February 2018 from https://www.princeton.edu/culturalpolicy/quickfacts/artsorgs/ars99.html
Parkinson, A., Kahn, G., Peck, E., & Cohen, R. (2017). Business Contributions to the Arts, 2017 Edition (Research Report R-1630-17-RR) [Electronic version]. The Conference Board. Retrieved 29 January 2018 from http://www. americansforthearts.org/sites/default/files/TCB-Business-Contribution-to-theArts-2017.pdf
Stern, M. & Seifert, S. (2002, January). Culture Builds Community Evaluation: Summary Report [Electronic version]. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Social Impact of the Arts Project. Retrieved 27 February 2018 from
ibid.
Matarasso, F. (1997). Use or Ornament? The Social Impact of Participation in the Arts [Electronic version]. Comedia. Retrieved 10 June 2024 from https://www.americansforthearts.org/node/100680
Tebes, J., Matlin, S., Hunter, B., Thompson, A., Prince, D., & Mohatt, N. (2016). Porch Light Program: Final Evaluation Report [Electronic version]. New Haven, CT: Yale University School of Medicine. Retrieved 28 February 2018 from https://www.muralarts.org/program/porch-light/
EXAMPLES OF PRACTICE
Los Angeles Poverty Department
The LAPD was founded in 1985 by John Malpede and was the first performance group comprised primarily of homeless people on Skid Row. The program aims to change negative stigmas associated with homeless people and decriminalize poverty through allowing
In partnership with the City of Memphis and the Hyde Family Foundations, Artspace transformed an historic three-story warehouse and an adjacent parking lot into a mixed-use arts facility with 63 affordable live/work units for artists and their
Artspace restored historic buildings into a mixed-use arts facility. Included are 42 units of affordable live/workspace for artists and their families, ground floor commercial space for creative businesses, gallery space, and an outdoor seating
Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts seminar
The Religion, Spirituality and the Arts seminar is a project of the IUPUI Arts and Humanities Institute. Through art, performance, poetry, and music the program brings religious leaders, artists, and scholars together to inspire new artistic work.
Sandy Storyline Project is a participatory documentary that collects stories about the impact of Hurricane Sandy. The storyline features audio, video, photos, and text contributed by those affected. The project has goals of amplifying the voices of
Operation Paydirt/Fundred Dollar Bill Project
Operation Paydirt/Fundred Dollar Bill Project began after Katrina caused lead levels to in New Orleans to rise. People are asked to design 100-dollar bills which would be delivered to congress where an even exchange of the creative capital was
READING LIST
An Archive of Resistance: John Malpede & Christina Sanchez Juarez in Conversation
ORGANIZATIONS
American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE)
AATE works to ensure that youth experience theater provided by talented artists and educators. Through its membership of theater artists, teachers, professors, directors, scholars, and playwrights, AATE provides services in 48 U.S. states and 19 countries.
The American Alliance of Museums' mission is to champion museums and nurture excellence in partnership with our members and allies.
The American Folklife Center preserves and presents American folklife through research, documentation, archival preservation, reference service, live performance, exhibitions, publications, and training.
The Arts Impact Explorer was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
of the Arts + Social Impact Explorer
