According to a report created by the National Endowment for the Arts, the amount of arts education individuals receive does indeed serve as an indicator for later participation in the arts. According to the report, individuals with the most arts education are the highest consumers and creators of various forms of visual art, music, drama, dance, or literature.

In fact, for the various forms of participation examined by the study (attending, listening, watching, reading, creating, performing), arts education was by far the strongest predictor in almost all areas, even more than socioeconomic status. The only area in which arts education did not predict later involvement was performance. (Much of the influence of arts performance remains unidentified.)

Not surprisingly, the report also found that the higher one's socioeconomic status, the more one participates in arts activities. However, much of this effect is due to one's socioeconomic circumstances serving as a resource factor, contributing to whether or not one receives education in the arts.

An executive summary of the report The Effects of Arts Education on Participation in the Arts is available on the NEA website.

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