Tracing the Enduring Effects of Community Arts Programs

Tracing the Enduring Effects of Community Arts Programs (TRACE) is a research study commissioned by the Wallace Foundation.

The study, a partnership of four universities (University of California at Irvine, Deakin University, The New School and the University of Kentucky) aims to explore how participating in community arts programs influences people’s career and life trajectories.

Working in collaborative partnership with community arts programs across the US, Australia and the UK, our study examines the potential shaping force of Out-of-School Time (OST) programs on identity formation and the influences on life activities resulting from participation.

The study intends to shed light on the capacity of creative communities of practice and OST programs, in particular, to impact the life experiences of marginalized youth.