Skip to page content

Performing Arts

RAND research on the arts includes explorations of national, state, and local arts policies; the impact of such policies on the availability of and accessibility to performing arts such as music, dance, and drama; and the use of arts education to help cultivate an audience for performing arts organizations.

Blog

RAND's Got Talent

Two RAND singers, Allison Elder and Jennifer Prim, performed with the Angel City Chorale on America's Got Talent. The choir earned a standing ovation and a “golden buzzer” from the judges on its way to the semifinals.

Oct 26, 2018
Dissertation

Dissertation

Vibrant Symphony Orchestras: A Policy Analytic Perspective

Addresses American symphony orchestras and the unusual economic challenges they face, which are shared by many performing arts organizations.

Dec 12, 2016
Dissertation

Dissertation

Considering Cultural Integration in the United States: Empirical Essays on Immigrants' Arts Participation

Explores arts participation as a means of broader civic and social engagement facilitating immigrants' integration into the United States.

Sep 21, 2016
Report

Findings From the School-Based Theatrical Performance Walk in Our Shoes

California's Prevention and Early Intervention initiative, aimed at stigma and discrimination reduction, developed and presented theatre performances to educate students about mental illness. Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of one of these performances, Walk in Our Shoes.

May 27, 2014
Commentary

Putting the Spring in the Arab Spring

Qatar has a salsa scene. Dubai hosted the big international Fujairah Latin Festival. The Oman Salsa Festival took place in March. Jordan and Cairo both have a salsa scene. What makes this so conversation-worthy is that it is indicative of a growing cultural openness in parts of the Middle East.

Jun 17, 2013
Report

Artists and the Arab Uprisings

Artists can play a positive role in shaping public debate and supporting democratic transition in the Middle East. This report explores challenges to artists after the Arab uprisings and how governments and nongovernmental actors can support them.

May 28, 2013
Commentary

Commentary

In Iraq, a Different Kind of Drama Stages a Message of Reconciliation

While female suicide bombers in Iraq have been getting all the headlines, a very different cadre of women has emerged on the scene with the opposite goal of forging peace and paving over the sectarian differences. Above all, these activists want to take back the streets and neighborhoods of their country, write Edward O'Connell and Cheryl Benard.

Dec 18, 2008
Research Brief

Research Brief

Emerging Trends in State Arts Policy

This research brief describes an effort carried out to describe and understand the strategies being used by innovative state arts agencies to deal with today's financial and political realities.

Nov 12, 2008
Report

Trends and Future Prospects for the Arts Predict Changing Role for State Agencies

State arts agencies — key players within the U.S. system of public support for the arts — face a wide varitey of challenges to their typical roles as grantmakers. The author concludes that future state arts policy is likely to focus more on efforts to develop the creative economy and to grow the audience for the arts.

Oct 29, 2008
News Release

News Release

Improving Arts Education Is Key to Stemming Audience Decline

Policymakers have underestimated the critical role of arts learning in supporting a vibrant nonprofit cultural sector. Despite decades of effort to make high-quality works of art available to Americans, demand for the arts has failed to keep pace with supply.

Sep 9, 2008
Research Brief

Research Brief

How to Cultivate Demand for the Arts

This research brief summarizes a study about what it means to cultivate demand for the arts, why it is important to do so, the role of arts learning in this effort, and arts and education policy changes needed to build future arts audiences.

May 20, 2008
News Release

News Release

RAND Study Says Arts Policy Should Focus on Building Individual Appreciation of the Arts

RAND Study Says Arts Policy Should Focus on Building Individual Appreciation of the Arts

Feb 15, 2005
News Release

News Release

RAND Report Says State Arts Agencies Need to Reach Out to Broader Public in Order to Avoid Cycle of Budget Woes

Arts Agencies Need to Reach Out to Broader Public in Order to Avoid Cycle of Budget Woes.

Jun 4, 2004
Research Brief

Research Brief

Improving Arts Education Partnerships

This research brief describes work documented in Arts Education Partnerships: Lessons Learned from One School District's Experience (MG-222-EDU).

Jan 1, 2004
Report

State of the Performing Arts in America

What is the state of the performing arts in America at the beginning of the 21st century? What does the future hold for America’s performing arts? This report identifies trends affecting audiences, artists, arts organizations, and financing for each of the performing arts, including opera, theater, dance, and music.

Jan 1, 2001
Research Brief

Research Brief

The Performing Arts: Trends and Their Implications

Media coverage of the performing arts in America paints a contradictory picture. The authors conclude that the structure of the performing arts system is undergoing a fundamental shift.

Jan 1, 2001
Report

Report

Performing Arts Centers and Economic Aspects of the Performing Arts: A Selective Bibliography

A listing of about 215 books and magazine articles on the "live" performing arts, excluding cinema and music halls, but including theater, opera, ballet, and concerts. Community and campus theater is included.

Jan 1, 1969
Periodical

Periodical

Perspectives: Facing the Music

Paul Koegel, associate director of RAND Health, moderated the panel ''From Management to Recovery: Emerging Approaches to Serious Mental Illness'' that discussed healthier ways of addressing serious mental illness.
Periodical

Periodical

RAND Review - Change of Scene

By Kevin F. McCarthy Kevin McCarthy is a senior social scientist at RAND. A fundamental shift is taking place in the structure of the performing arts in America. In a handful of the biggest cities, the largest and best-known arts organizations are thriving on star-studded productions that pull in the ...

RAND Topic:
Performing Arts

Topic Synonyms:
Dance;
Theatre Arts

Research conducted by