Culturescope.ca - Focus on Youth: Canadian Youth Arts Programming and Policy

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Youth Marginalization in Context

Youth Arts Programming – Effects and Outcomes

Best Practices

Funding Support

Lessons to be learned? International approaches to policy and funding for youth arts

Conclusion

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Acknowledgements

Feature developed by Amanda Coles, PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science, McMaster University.

Special thanks to Mary Peters, BA, MCA, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Rinaldo Walcott, Canada Research Chair in Social Justice and Cultural Studies at the University of Toronto, Dr. Robin Wright Assistant Professor, School of Social Work at McGill University, and Joyce Zemans C.M., Director MBA Program in Arts and Media Administration at York University for their collaboration in the development of this article.

The views and opinions in this paper reflect those of the author and do not necessarily represent the positions of the Department of Canadian Heritage or the Government of Canada.

Introduction

Youth arts is a distinctive type of artistic practice that does more than include youth in existing artistic frameworks; instead it recalibrates the framework to position the needs of specific, localized youth communities at the very centre of the artistic practice. The capacity of local youth arts programming to foster positive youth development is an emerging area of interest for both policymakers and practitioners. Culturally relevant, locally based programs that use media, visual and performing arts programming have demonstrated promising results in positive youth engagement. Evidence indicates that youth arts programming is an effective mechanism to build individual skills, promote community engagement and provide broader social and economic benefits. A review of the current literature on youth arts in Canada, interviews with youth arts practitioners and an analysis of funding and support practices demonstrate both a high demand for local youth arts programming and the need for a multi-level, cross-sectoral, coordinated policy and funding framework for the Canadian youth arts sector.

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