For the last 250 years, though, “art for art’s sake” — the notion that commercial, utilitarian, moral, or didactic functions are distractions from art’s ineffable, intrinsic value as an expression of the artists’ vision — has been a prevailing philosophy in the world of culture. Does that suggest that the social benefits of art have diminished and eroded? Do the arts still play powerful utilitarian roles?

This report is an inquiry into one utilitarian role: the relationship between the arts and what social scientists generally refer to as civic or community engagement.

Civic engagement generates the networks and norms of reciprocity and trust that are essential to effective and efficient societies. This social capital bonds groups of homogeneous people — often people who live close together, or, perhaps, share a race, gender, or religion — and it bridges across heterogeneous groups.

Key conclusions of this exploration:

• Correlations between arts participation and the motivations and practices of civic engagement are substantial and consistent.
• Art making experiences appear to encourage civic engagement more so than experiences as an audience member.
• Some arts experiences in some settings generate social capital directly.
• Arts experiences during adolescence are particularly influential.
• People who have built identities around civic engagement often credit arts experiences as significant to their development. [Introduciton]

This report is an inquiry into one utilitarian role: the relationship between the arts and what social scientists generally refer to as civic or community engagement.