This essay underscores the crucial contributions of this segment of cultural organizations in the cultural ecosystem and toward achieving healthy communities and a healthy democracy.

This Monograph is intended to begin dialogue within the arts field about arts and creativity programs by and for older people by providing basic information on current trends and opportunities to integrate creativity and aging.

On September 25‐27, 2008, 29 leaders gathered at the third annual National Arts Policy Roundtable to consider the topic The Arts and Civic Engagement: Strengthening the 21st Century Community. We believe that civic engagement—that is, the active commitment by individuals to participate and contribute to the improvement of one’s neighborhood, community, nation and world—is vital to healthy communities, healthy business environments, and a healthy democracy.

A Report on the Proceedings of the Americans for the Arts National Arts Policy Roundtable held September 25-27, 2008 at Sundance Preserve looks at trends and best practices in arts-based civic engagement and makes recommendations to the field.

The Arts and Civic Engagement Tool Kit: Planning Tools and Resources for Animating Democracy in Your Community features customizable worksheets containing thoughtful questions, clarifying sidebars, and examples to help users plan, design, and partner to create meaningful engagement activities. Resources on the CD include: 

<[p>This paper first explores the relationship between aesthetic and civic imagination and then links that discussion to a case example of an effort to use arts-based civic dialogue to generate a regional grassroots-based discussion concerning how to reposition an economically ailing area of Virginia.

Children's personal skills are increasingly likely to influence their future earning potential, not just exam results, a think-tank suggests. Failure to teach key skills such as communication is widening the gap between rich and poor, says the Institute for Public Policy Research.

Local conflicts over public art have occurred throughout the United States. This Monograph looks at several of those controversies.

The Arts and Civic Engagement demonstrates with statistically reliable data that arts participation overwhelmingly correlates with positive individual and civic behaviors. Put simply, Americans who read books, visit museums, attend theater, and engage in other arts are more active in community life than those who do not.

Overview of nonprofit cultural heritage organizations in the and a snapshot of their structure, finances and programs.