Local Arts Agency Fact Sheet

A local arts agency (LAA) is a private community organization or an agency of local government that
supports arts organizations, provides services to artists or arts organizations, and/or presents arts
programming to the public. There are an estimated 5,000 LAAs in the United States. 75 percent are
private nonprofit organizations; 25 percent are agencies of city or county government. LAA budgets
range from all volunteer to over $150 million dollars. LAAs are referred to by an array of names—such
as arts commissions, arts and humanities councils, arts and business councils, cultural alliances, and arts
funds. While no two are exactly alike, all endeavor to serve the diverse art forms in their community
and integrate the arts into the daily fabric of the community.

ƒ 69 percent of local arts agencies are grantmakers: 53 percent award grants to arts organizations, 46 percent
award grants to individual artists, and 33 percent do both.
ƒ 79 percent are technical assistance providers: 53 percent assist organizations (e.g., central booking/box
office, marketing training), 59 percent assist individual artists (e.g., artist registry, studio space), and 69
percent assist the general public (e.g., cultural calendar, volunteer recruitment and training).
ƒ 81 percent produce and/or present cultural programming in their community.
ƒ 74 percent are directly involved in the planning, development, and/or creation of public art.
ƒ 72 percent are directly involved in arts education programming and/or arts education advocacy.
ƒ 49 percent use the arts to address community development issues (e.g., creative economy, cultural districts
and economic development, and civic engagement).
ƒ 54 percent manage at least one cultural facility (e.g., performance, exhibition, or incubator spaces).
ƒ 34 percent have completed or updated a community cultural plan within the past five years.
ƒ 59 percent have at least one paid, full-time employee; 41 percent are volunteer staffed or have one part-time,
paid employee.
ƒ More than half of LAAs are actively engaged in the following activities: marketing and public relations (74
percent), audience development (66 percent), cultural tourism (64 percent), advocacy (63 percent), volunteer
recruitment (60 percent), board development (55 percent), and individual giving (51 percent).
ƒ LAAs list the following as their most critical professional development needs: development/fundraising (74
percent), marketing/branding (49 percent), audience development (42 percent), and strategic planning (32
percent).
ƒ Three-quarters of all LAAs receive funding from local government (city and/or county). Private LAAs
receive 18 percent of their total revenue from local government; municipal LAAs receive 62 percent of their
total revenue from local government.

Average Organizational Budgets of Local Arts Agencies

Average Local Govt. Percentage
Average Average
Local Support as a Receiving ANY
LEGAL STATUS OF LAA Sample (N) Organizational Organizational
Government Percentage of Local Govt.
Revenue Expenditures
Support Total Revenue Support
Private, nonprofit 656 $871,892 $168,018 17.5% 71.1% $865,307
Public, government 223 $1,950,795 $1,176,110 61.9% 85.8% $1,880,273
All Local Arts Agencies 879 $1,145,607 $423,768 28.8% 74.8% $1,122,801

 
Source: 2010 Census of Local Arts Agencies, Americans for the Arts, June 2010.
A Monograph on the findings will be published in the fall of 2010. (Data based on analysis of 879 LAAs)
 Not-for-Profit Theatre in America
The Field at a Glance
In 1961, the American theatre consisted of only 16
theatre companies established specifically for
educational and charitable purposes. Today, thanks in
Estimated 2009 Universe of U.S.
large measure to the pivotal role played by the National Not-For-Profit Professional Theatres
Endowment for the Arts (NEA) since 1965, the not-for-
profit theatre field consists of more than an estimated
1,800 theatres located in major metropolitan centers, 1,825 Theatres
urban neighborhoods, suburbs and rural communities.
Their wide-ranging repertoire includes classics; modern Productivity
plays and musicals; new plays, adaptations and Attendance 30,000,000
translations by American and international writers; plays Subscribers 1,500,000
for culturally specific and young audiences; and Performances 187,000
experimental, multimedia and performance-art works. Productions 17,000

Theatre Facts 2009, a study by Theatre Communications Finances

Group based on its annual Fiscal Survey, reported on an Earnings $810,800,000
estimated universe of 1,825 not-for-profit professional Contributions $968,500,000
theatres, including 180 profiled TCG member theatres. Total Income $1,779,300,000
Combined, these theatres directly contributed nearly $1.9 Expenses $1,892,000,000
billion to the U.S. economy; the real economic impact is Changes in Unrestricted
even greater when spending by theatres’ attendees and Net Assets (CUNA) $112,700,000
employees in their local communities is taken into
account. The universe of theatres employed more than Work Force
128,200 theatre workers, including actors, directors, Artistic 80,400
playwrights, designers, administrators and technicians. Administrative 15,800
For the 180 profiled theatres—ranging in size from Technical 32,000
$172,000 in annual expenses to more than $53 million— Total Paid Personnel 128,200
compensation of personnel represented more than 54.3%
of total expenses, a reflection of the labor-intensive
nature of the art form and the many cultural workers leveraged for its symbolic imprimatur, and can also be
whose livelihoods theatres are preserving. The universe felt by theatres as it trickles down in the form of bloc
of not-for-profit theatres offered 187,000 performances grants to states. Forty percent of NEA funding goes to
that attracted 30 million patrons. The 180 profiled state arts agencies which is then distributed to
theatres served an additional 2.7 million people through organizations like not-for-profit theatres. In total, 92% of
1,300 outreach and educational programs, including profiled TCG member theatres received funds from
touring productions, artists-in-the-schools, teacher either or both the NEA and their State Arts Agency; 39%
training, workshops and lectures in local community of these theatres received both NEA and State funding.
centers and libraries, internships for college students,
special programs for at-risk children and life-long By supporting many of the nation’s finest theatre
learning opportunities. institutions, the NEA has contributed far beyond the
actual monetary value of its grants. Nearly every Pulitzer
The direct impact of a theatre receiving funding from the Prize-winning play since 1976 originated at an NEA-
NEA comes not only in the form of project grants, but funded theatre, and a network of educational and
also in the multiplier effect that NEA grants, through its outreach programs has sprung up across the country as a
2-to-1 or 3-to-1 matching funds requirement, have on result of NEA support, ensuring access to all Americans
theatres’ abilities to leverage and attract other private and and developing new generations of audiences.
public funding. Indirectly, NEA funding can be
 Examples of Economic and
Community Impact
With the support of a $40,000 Access to Artistic
Excellence grant from the NEA, Childsplay, located in
Tempe, Arizona, will produce the world premiere of The
Color of Stars. This play, written by Dwayne Hartford
and directed by Artistic Director David Saar, follows 18-
year-old Allie as she uncovers the stories, truths and
childhood experiences of her grandfather Eddie's coming
of age in rural Maine during early World War II.
Expressed through the voice of a generation of children
growing up in a post 9/11 America, The Color of Stars is
designed to provoke meaningful dialogues and to build
greater empathy for those touched by wartime
experiences. This project will be produced on the
mainstage reaching 20,000 school students and families.
Founded in 1977, Childsplay offers arts education
resources to more than 250 schools annually. The theatre
has educated and inspired nearly 4 million Arizona
residents, and has grown to serve an average annual
audience of 200,000 children and families through its
academy, teacher professional development and
extensive residency work with classroom students.
Cleveland Public Theatre in Ohio received a $10,000
Access to Artistic Excellence grant for the Y-Haven
Theatre Project to serve homeless men in recovery. The
program develops capacities the men can draw upon to
maintain sobriety and transition to employment,
permanent housing and independent living. Participants
are engaged in intensive vocal, movement and acting
training and writing exercises. The 2010 original play,
Taking Care of Business, drew from the men’s
experiences to tell a story of shame and redemption. An
eight-performance tour played to audiences of homeless
people, incarcerated youth, college students and the
general public—1,030 people in total. Performances
helped to raise awareness in the community and
reinforce that homeless people and those coping with
addictions can lead productive lives. As one participant
commented, “Now the doors are wide open. I can
become what I am meant to be, not by my own design,
but with the help of my peers. I finally completed
something I made a commitment to do.”
Thanks to a $25,000 grant from the NEA, La Jolla
Playhouse will present the world premiere play Shah
Mat, by playwright Naomi Iizuka. San Diego is home to
many military installations and the corporate
headquarters of several major defense contractors. It is
also home to the third-largest Iraqi refugee community in
the U.S. and a burgeoning Afghani community. Shah
Mat will utilize extensive interviews with members of all
of these communities, alongside original scenes and
monologues, to examine the impact of the current wars
in Iraq and Afghanistan on a city that serves as a
microcosm of the nation as a whole. Playing an
important role in attracting tourism to the region, over
100,000 people, 20,000 of whom were from outside the
County, attended performances in 2010. In addition, the
Playhouse’s flagship education touring initiative brought
a musical for young audiences to 43 schools across the
County, reaching 15,500 children through 66
performances. La Jolla Playhouse is not only a vital
cultural resource for the County of San Diego, but also a
provider of hundreds of jobs. In 2010 alone, the
Playhouse employed over 450 people and engaged 1,085
volunteers.
A $25,000 NEA Access to Artistic Excellence grant to
Idaho Shakespeare Festival supported the Festival's two
annual school touring programs, Idaho Theater for Youth
and Shakespearience. These tours bring fully staged,
professional theatre productions into K-12 classrooms in
all regions of Idaho. In 2010, Idaho Theater for Youth,
serving grades K-6, presented Aesop’s Network:
Broadcasting Theatrical Fables, by E. Gray Simons III,
while Shakespearience, serving grades 7-12, presented
William Shakespeare’s Othello. The 168 in-school
performances, together with related study guides and
interactive workshops, reached a total of 46,730 students
and teachers in 141 schools.

INCOME AS A PERCENT OF EXPENSES* BREAKDOWN OF EXPENSES

(180 Profiled Theatres) (180 Profiles Theatres)

*Percentages total 91.4% because total expenses exceeded

total income by 8.6%.
Depreciation General
4.6% Management/
United Arts Operations
Funds In-Kind Facil./Equip./
Donations 4.0%
Fundraising 0.3% Insurance
Events/Guilds 2.5% Other 9.4% Artistic
4.7% Contributions Personnel
2.3% Marketing/ 19.2%
Other Individuals
Customer
11.2%
Service
11.7%

Trustees Earned Income Development

5.5% 44.7% Admin.
3.6%
Personnel
Foundations Royalties 20.5%
10.0% 2.2%
Corporations General
4.3% Production Physical Production
3.6% Production Personnel
City/County
2.6% State Federal 6.6% 14.6%
1.9% 1.4%
OPERA America serves the opera field in its broadest dimension, supporting the creation,
presentation and enjoyment of opera. In the United States, it counts 117 professional
companies in 43 states in its membership. It also serves 19 professional companies in six
provinces in Canada, which are members of Opera.ca.

Two-thirds of these companies were established since 1960 and of these companies more than
half were established after 1970, making the growth of opera throughout North America a
relatively new phenomenon. In addition to its North American membership, OPERA America
works in partnership with Opera Europa to serve 91 affiliated companies in Europe, as well as
serving four additional companies from around the globe. (Source: OPERA America)

Attendance
Over 4.3 million people attended a live performance at one of OPERA America’s Professional
Company Members in 2009, including education and outreach programs, and festivals.

Number of Performances and Productions

In 2009-2010, OPERA America’s Professional Company Members in North America presented
2,100 performances and 449 fully staged main season and festival productions.

Audience Demographics
In 2008, the median age of the opera attendee was 48, one year older than in 2002. In 2008,
5.2% of adults with a Bachelor's or higher degree attended an opera performance. (Source:
National Endowment for the Arts)

Broadcast and Recorded Media

The percentage of adults viewing or listening to opera via television broadcast and recorded
media remains higher than live attendance. In 2008, 11 million adults, or 4.9% of the adult
population, viewed or listened to an opera broadcast or recording. (Source: National
Endowment for the Arts)

Economic Impact
Currently, North American opera companies have over 55,000 full-time and part-time
employees. Expenses for OPERA America companies in the United States were nearly 1 billion,
approximately 60 percent of which went directly to artist salaries, taxes and benefits. (Source:
OPERA America)
Box Office Income and Private Support
OPERA America companies in the United States posted $369 million in box office receipts for
FY09 . Private support of OPERA America companies totaled $505 million in FY08, representing
52% of the total income. (Source: OPERA America)

Federal Government Support

Total government support for American opera companies in FY09 amounted to $17.7 million,
approximately 1.8% of the total expenses Total support from the National Endowment for the
Arts in FY09 amounted to $1,585,272, or 0.16% of the total expenses.(Source: OPERA America)

New Works
In the calendar years of 2009 and 2010, OPERA America members are involved with 51 world
premieres. Since 1990, over 400 new operatic works have been produced by professional
opera companies in North America. (Source: OPERA America)

Most Frequently Produced Operas

The most frequently produced operas in the 2009-2010 season were: The Marriage of Figaro,
La bohème, Carmen, Tosca, La traviata, Madame Butterfly, The Magic Flute, Hansel and Gretel,
The Elixir of Love and Don Giovanni. (Source: OPERA America)The most frequently produced

North American operas in the 2009-2010 season were: George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess,
Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, John Adams’s Nixon in China, Lewis Spratlan’s Life is a
Dream, Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers and Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors.
(Source: OPERA America)
State Arts Agency Funding and Grant Making
State arts agencies are important partners with the National Endowment for the Arts, which, by law, allocates
40% of its annual grants budget to state arts agencies and their regional arts organizations. Each of the 50
states and six special jurisdictions has a government agency that use these funds to address local needs and
broaden the reach of federal dollars across the nation. Through services and grant making, these agencies
provide cultural, civic, educational and economic benefits to every state’s residents. State arts agencies are
publicly-guided entities that rely on the commitment of citizen volunteers to serve as council members, grant
panelists, and participants in the agency’s strategic planning process.

State Arts Agency Funding

State arts agencies will manage $346 million in fiscal year 2011. The vast majority of this revenue comes from
state general funds, allocated through appropriations from state legislatures. Funding from the National
Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is another essential form of support for state arts agencies. Some state arts
agencies also receive funding from private sources or other federal programs.

• State arts agency funds support 23,000 arts projects across the
United States each year. These projects take place in nearly State Arts Agency Facts
5,000 communities and include a wide range of activities,
• States currently invest $272.0 million—
including performances, exhibitions, and arts education. about 87 cents per capita—in state arts
agencies.
• Total legislative appropriations to state arts agencies currently
stand at $272.0 million or 87 cents per capita. Between fiscal • State arts agency appropriations comprise
years 2010 and 2011 appropriations declined by 7.2%, a loss of 0.039% (less than one tenth of one
percent) of total state general fund
$21.2 million.
expenditures in fiscal year 2011.
• The decrease in aggregate appropriations among state arts • Each year, state arts agencies support
agencies reflects the current budget environment. While the 23,000 arts projects across the United
national economy overall is slowly showing signs of recovery, States. Funds go to 17,500 organizations,
state governments are continuing to struggle with the impact of schools and artists in nearly 5,000
communities.
the recession.

State Arts Agency Grant Making

State arts agencies provide a wide array of citizen services. Among the most important of these services—which
include public information, partnership building, technical assistance, research and planning—is grant making.
State arts agencies invest their funds in a variety of grant projects designed to foster:

• educational success, by investing in arts education opportunities for students;

• arts participation, by supporting performances, exhibitions and lifelong learning programs;

• accessibility, by investing in programs that widen the availability of the arts, especially in rural areas and
among underserved populations;

• cultural infrastructures, by investing in operating support for cultural organizations and by supporting the
development of grassroots arts networks;

• innovation, by supporting individual artists and the development of new creative programs; and

• artistic heritage, by investing in the preservation of cultural traditions.

For more information about state arts agencies, call 202-347-3666, email bircht@earthlink.net or visit
www.nasaa-arts.org.
State Arts Agency Grants by Recipient Type
Fiscal Year 2010

Grants to arts organizations Grants to artists

Grants to community groups and schools

Symbols indicate ZIP codes of at least one (and often more than one) grant recipient.
 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS

American Museums Top 12

1. American museums receive more than 850 million visits a year. That’s more
than all major league sporting events and amusement parks combined.

2. There are more museums in the United States (at least 17,500) than
McDonald’s restaurants or Starbucks cafés.

3. The median cost of an adult museum admission is just $7 — cheaper than a

movie ticket — while 41% of U.S. museums are free and 73% of the rest offer
free days.

4. Every week, Americans donate one million hours of their time to museums,
with a total annual value of more than $1 billion.

5. Museums hosted more than 55 million students on field trips during the 2007-
08 school year.

6. The nation’s museums spend more than $2 billion a year on education

programming and support.

7. American museums preserve and protect more than one billion objects.

8. Museums employ 400,000 Americans.

9. In 1989, museums received an average of 39% of their funding from

government sources; today, just 24% comes from governments.

10. In 2008, museums made a direct contribution to the U.S. economy of more
than $21 billion (just counting expenses, salaries, purchases, etc.) — and an
indirect contribution of billions more.

11. America’s nonprofit arts and culture sector generates $166 billion in
economic activity every year, with a return on investment of more than $7 in
taxes for every $1 in government appropriations.

12. Americans trust museums: 87% of Americans describe museums as

trustworthy and a majority say museums are the most trustworthy source of
information about the past.

______________________________________________________
1575 EYE STREET NW, SUITE 400
WASHINGTON, DC 20005
202.289.1818
FAX 202.289.6578
 Quick Orchestra Facts
April 2011

Orchestras are a Vital Part of America’s Musical Landscape and Civic Life…
With more than 1,800 symphony, chamber, collegiate, and youth orchestras across the country, America is
brimming with extraordinary musicians, live concerts, and orchestras as unique as the communities they serve.

Orchestral music making is flourishing in our country, encouraging creativity and bringing people together to
share the experience of live music. Orchestras fuel local economies, attract new business development,
educate young people, and - through the power of music - unite individuals and cultures in good times and bad.

How many communities and people are involved with orchestras?

Orchestras exist in all 50 states, in virtually every community, with annual budgets ranging from less than
$10,000 to more than $90 million.

350-400 professional orchestras, which means they have paid musicians

800-900 volunteer orchestras
150-200 collegiate/conservatory orchestras
400-500 youth orchestras

More than half a million individuals are involved in orchestras, including conductors, staff, board members,
musicians, and volunteers. And that’s not even counting millions of people in the audience!

Who goes to orchestra concerts?

More people (and younger) than you realized! In the 2008-09 season, they played to an audience of just over
25 million attendees nationwide. At traditional classical subscription concerts, more than 60% of the
audience were adults younger than 55 in 2008.1 The total number of concerts performed has risen by nearly
4% in the last decade. In 2008-09 America’s orchestras performed more than 32,000 concerts.

13,417 Education
9,544 Classical
1,612 Pops
1,288 Community Engagement
1,779 Chamber/Ensemble
5,173 Other Concerts (including choral, opera, ballet, summer, family, and festival events)

What is the financial structure of orchestras?

Orchestral activity is supported by a combination of public and private support – and every piece is critical.
Orchestras are not supported by ticket sales alone. As members of the nonprofit charitable community,
orchestras depend upon private philanthropy and civic support.

2008-09 Orchestra Revenue

Private contributions 39%
Concert Income 35%
Endowment 13%
Other Earned Income 9%
Government Grants 4%

Orchestra revenue totaled $1.69 billion in 2008-09. Their economic impact exceeds several times that amount
as orchestras create jobs, engage in commerce with local businesses, and spur local expenditures on related
goods and services (hotels, restaurants, parking facilities, and more).
Why does a community support its orchestra?
Orchestras are an important part of the community fabric. The presence of an orchestra is often an indicator of
a community’s economic and cultural strength, as communities with orchestras tend to draw volunteers, voters,
philanthropists and other active, civic-minded participants. From a survey of 800 random households in 10
American cities2, the vast majority of citizens believe that the presence of live, professional performing arts in
the community…

• Improves the quality of life

• Promotes understanding of other cultures
• Fosters pride in the community
• Contributes to the education and development of children

What role do orchestras play in music education and community engagement?

Orchestras are essential and active partners in increasing access to lifelong music education. They enhance
the quality of life in their communities by collaborating with school systems and other local partners to deliver a
wide array of education and community programs. Education and community engagement activity in America’s
orchestras is growing fast, with nearly three times as many events as a decade ago. Orchestras now offer
nearly 13,000 education concerts, more than 1,000 community engagement concerts, and more than 40 kinds
of programs, including:

• Pre-school programs
• In-depth, multi-year community residencies
• Long-term partnerships with schools
• Instrumental instruction
• Educational classes for seniors
• Programs in libraries and hospitals

How can children reap even more of the benefits of music education?
Music education is an indispensable part of life-long learning, and participation in music programs prepares
students to succeed in school, work, and life. That’s why the great majority of orchestras engage in advocacy
on behalf of in-school music education in their communities. Also, kids “play their part” by joining an orchestra.
Being part of an orchestra encourages young people to develop their talents and to experience teamwork, self-
discipline, and individual expression. There are nearly 500 youth orchestras across America. New
orchestras are created each year to help meet the growing demand for music education and positive activities
for young people. These orchestras involve more than 50,000 young musicians in the joy of music making
and all its ancillary benefits.

League of American Orchestras

The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions America’s orchestras and the vitality of
the music they perform. The League works to stimulate the exchange of innovative ideas and practices and to
promote unity across the orchestra field. The League delivers meaningful information, learning and leadership
opportunities, grass-roots advocacy and other services to its diverse membership, which encompasses nearly
900 member symphony, chamber, youth, and collegiate orchestras of all sizes. Founded in 1942 and chartered
by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors,
managers, board members, volunteers, staff members, and business partners. Visit americanorchestras.org to
learn more.

Contact: Heather Noonan, Vice President for Advocacy, League of American Orchestras
hnoonan@americanorchestras.org, 202 776 0215

All statistics in the guide are from the most up-to-date League data available except the following -
1
National Endowment for the Arts, 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, p. 20.
2
Performing Arts Research Coalition, The Value of the Performing Arts in Ten Communities, p. 3.
 Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance, seeks to advance the art form by
addressing the needs, concerns and interests of professional dance. Dance/USA believes that dance is
essential to a healthy society, demonstrating the infinite possibilities for human expression and potential,
and facilitating communication within and across cultures.

Dance/USA’s membership currently consists of over 400 ballet, modern, ethnic, jazz, culturally specific,
traditional and tap companies, dance service and presenting organizations, artist managers, individuals,
and other organizations nationally and internationally. Dance/USA’s member companies range in size
from operating budgets of under $100,000 to over $50 million.

Prepared February 2011

SNAPSHOT OF THE FIELD

Background
There are now over 600 fully professional dance companies in the United States. But only 15% of the United
States’ major professional dance companies are 45 years old or more. For example, the Martha Graham
Dance Company, founded in 1926, is the second longest-standing company in the nation. As an established
art form with national identity and presence, dance has burst onto the scene almost entirely within living
memory.

And yet, the United States can boast some of the great dance companies in the world. The key to this
spectacular achievement was the creation of a national marketplace for dance, especially in the 1970s and
1980s. When the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) instituted its Dance Touring Program in the 1970s,
great dance became accessible to every community in the United States. What used to be a handful of
professional companies and a scattering of “regional” dance became a national treasure spread across cities
and through communities, schools, and theaters in all 50 states. NEA programs have continued to ensure that
the best of American dance is for all of the United States and a showpiece for the rest of the world as well.

In addition to the more than 600 professional dance companies, the United States has over one thousand pre-
professional and semi-professional groups.

The Past Decade

From 2000 through 2009, the dance field was severely challenged by economic and political forces beyond its
control. Two serious recessions, a diversion of charitable dollars to social issues such as disaster relief, and a
conservative anti-tax political climate in many states led to cutbacks in funding on many levels. Dance
companies responded by downsizing their budgets through a reduction in expenses.

From 2000 through 2004, the number of companies reporting cutbacks accelerated—in 2000, 9% of
companies reported cutbacks from the previous year; in 2002, 28% reported cutbacks; in 2003, 36% reported
cutbacks; and in 2004, 41% reported cutbacks.

From 2006 through 2008 some stabilization occurred. The number of companies reporting cutbacks stood at
about 27% for those years, an improvement, but not yet back to the healthy lower levels of the late 1990s.

In addition, the period from 2000 to 2008 saw the closing of five major companies and the reduction of two
others from full performing ensembles to schools. This compares with the loss of only one major company in
the entire decade from 1990 through 1999.

The recession that began in 2008 and subsequent fiscal crisis brought challenges to many in the field with
individual donations, corporate support, or both decreasing, in addition to declines in ticket sales.

-continued-

Dance/USA 1111 16th St NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20036 ph 202.833.1717 fx 202.833.2686 www.danceusa.org
Distribution of the Dance Field *
Over 15 companies
$7,000,000
$3,000,000 to 29 companies
$6,999,999

$1,000,000 to $2,999,999 49 companies

$500,000 to $999,999 62 companies

$100,000 to $499,999 133 companies

approx. 250 companies

Under $100,000
(115 known)

Profile of the Dance Field

The 288 companies with expense budgets of $100,000 or more for fiscal years ending in 2009 †:

Generated more than $600 million in economic activity across the United States.

Earned approximately $189.0 million,

Had expenses totaling $613.5 million,
and paid approximately $320.5 million,
or 45% of expenses, in wages and benefits.
This figure appears to confirm reports of salary freezes
and wage reductions at dance companies in response to
the fiscal crisis that began in fall 2008. For fiscal years
ending in 2008, the 145 U.S. companies with budgets
greater than $500,000 paid approximately $321.4 million in
wages and benefits.
or 34% of their income, from performances. ‡
This figure seems to support recent reports of reductions
in performance income, captured both in the press and in
field surveys, as this figure stood at 37% of income in
2008, and 38% in 2007.
Received approximately $273.8 million,
or 49% of their income, in contributions.
This represents contributions from all sources including
public support, corporate contributions, foundation support,
and individual donations.
Collected the remaining 17% of their income
through a variety of other sources.

Employed over 12,000 people in a mix of full-time and part-time positions.

This number includes most of the 4,500 dancers the Bureau of Labor and Statistics counted working at all U.S. dance
companies in May 2009. Anecdotal reports from the field indicate that there were reductions in dancer employment for
fiscal years ending in 2009.
Had nearly 4,000 members collectively serving on their 501c3 boards.

Can be found in 40 of the 50 U.S. states, and in the District of Columbia.

Represent all styles and genres of dance.

Alphabetically, these companies perform aerial, ballet, ballroom, culturally specific (including African, Asian, Indian, and
Spanish), hip hop, historical, jazz, liturgical, tap, modern/contemporary, multi-disciplinary, and physically integrated, as
well as fusions of one or more of these forms.

*
The distribution of U.S. dance companies is drawn from Dance/USA’s National Company Roster, a listing of all known
501c3 dance companies in the U.S. with expense budgets greater than $100,000 for fiscal years ending in 2009.
†
This data is somewhat approximate because it draws on publically available data for 2009 fiscal years with 241
companies reporting information in this year of the 288 total.
‡
A majority of companies reporting this figure (55% of 153 reporting) listed performance revenue between 20% and 49%
of total income.
 CHAMBER MUSIC AT A GLANCE

Chamber Music America (CMA), the national service organization for the chamber music profession, defines
chamber music as music for small ensembles (2-10 musicians), whose members generally perform one to a
part —and without a conductor.

Originally rooted in the Western classical tradition, chamber music now encompasses diverse styles, genres
and influences, from medieval to contemporary, classical to jazz, acoustic to electronic, and from Europe and
the Americas to Africa and Asia. CMA’s membership reflects the variety of today’s ensemble music
community: vocal and instrumental ensembles, individual musicians, local chamber music societies and large-
scale presenters, composers, educators, artist managers, publicists and chamber music enthusiasts.

At the heart of chamber music is the spirit of collaboration. In small ensembles, the musicians engage in a
close musical conversation with one another, without the aid of a conductor. As in an ideal democracy,
chamber music relies upon the collective instincts, experience, knowledge, and talents of its participants to
guide the process of interpreting, rehearsing, and performing.

Chamber Music ensembles come in a wide variety of sizes, as well as a broad array of possible
instrumentations. The illustrations below represent the best-known kinds of ensembles.

Ensem ble Distribution by Size Ensem ble Distribution by Instrum entation

1%

3%

11% 10% 6% 3%

1%

Duo Brass
15% Mixed
16% Trio 19%
Percussion
Quartet
String
Quintet
Vocal
3% Sextet Woodw ind
2%
Large Ensemble Piano
Variable 65% Saxophone
16% 29%

The relatively small size of most chamber ensembles gives them added flexibility. Adaptable to a wide variety
of venues, chamber ensembles are well positioned to provide specialized performances and educational
activities for private and community organizations—and for audiences of every age and social background.

Today, hundreds of thousands of people enjoy chamber music performances in venues that range from large
concert halls and outdoor festivals, to more intimate settings, such as homes, community centers, churches,
schools, bars and clubs, and galleries. In addition to a large repertoire of masterpieces, chamber musicians
have at their disposal an ever-growing library of contemporary works. Because of its breadth and diversity,
chamber music is one of the broadest and most varied options available in today’s competitive musical
marketplace.
  
FIELD  AT  A  GLANCE    ::    ARTIST  RESIDENCY  PROGRAMS  
 
Artist  residency  programs  –  also  called  artist  colonies  or  artist  communities  –  provide  artists  of  
any  discipline  (visual  arts,  writing,  music,  dance,  film,  design,  etc.)  with  dedicated  time  and  
space  to  work.    
 
Supporting  today’s  artists  in  the  creation  of  new  work  is  essential  to  human  progress  –  not  
as  a  luxury,  not  as  a  leisure  activity,  but  as  a  vital  and  necessary  force  in  society.  Artist  
residencies  are  not  about  retreat;  they  are  about  advancement  –  advancing  creativity,  
advancing  human  progress,  and  advancing  the  way  we  examine  the  world.    
 
My  residency  was  a  life-­‐changing  experience,  which  opened  many  doors  in  my  quest  to  both  
preserve  tradition  and  find  valid  ways  of  contributing  fresh,  personal,  and  contemporary  
material  to  the  genre.  It  also  unlocked  the  door  to  a  rich  source  of  internal  inspiration  and  
creative  potential  that  I  will  probably  explore  for  the  rest  of  my  life.  
—  Dr.  Michael  White,  jazz  composer  and  historian,  New  Orleans  
 
• There  are  an  estimated  500  artist  residency  programs  in  the  US,  from  Denali  Park,  
Alaska  to  Key  West,  and  from  Joshua  Tree,  California  to  Norton  Island,  Maine    
 
• Artist  residency  programs  in  the  US  support  15,000  artists  each  year  with  $40  million  
in  services,  including  housing,  studio  space,  materials,  technical  assistance,  and  fees  
 
• 60%  of  artist  residencies  are  located  in  small  towns  and  rural  areas,  providing  under-­‐
served  publics  with  professional  arts  programs  
 
• Artist  residency  programs  serve  painters,  poets,  composers,  choreographers,  
filmmakers,  printmakers,  and  other  artists  at  all  career  stages  and  from  all  
backgrounds  
 
• Artist  residency  programs  have  provided  critical  support  to  many  of  our  nation’s  most  
celebrated  artists  and  have  served  as  the  birthplace  of  some  of  our  greatest  works  of  
art:  Aaron  Copland’s  Appalachian  Spring,  Gregory  MacGuire’s  Wicked;  Thornton  
Wilder’s  Our  Town;  Michael  Chabon’s  The  Amazing  Adventures  of  Kavalier  &  Clay;  
and  works  by  Allen  Ginsberg,  David  Sedaris,  Marcel  Duchamp,  Christo  and  Jeanne-­‐
Claude,  Robert  Rauschenberg,  James  Baldwin,  John  Lennon,  Truman  Capote,  Bill  T.  
Jones,  Spalding  Gray,  Leonard  Bernstein,  Edward  Albee,  Langston  Hughes,  Liz  Lerman,  
Sylvia  Plath,  Gwendolyn  Brooks,  Bob  Dylan,  John  Cage,  Merce  Cunningham,  and  many,  
many  more.  

A L L I A N C E   O F   A R T I S T S   C O M M U N I T I E S  
255  SOUTH  MAIN  STREET,  PROVIDENCE  RHODE  ISLAND  02903  
TEL  (401)  351  4320  |  FAX  (401)  351  4507  
www.artistcommunities.org  
 Why the Arts Belong in the Classroom:
Demonstrating the Impact of VSA Programs
By using the arts to enhance inclusive teaching and learning, VSA programs provide
students with disabilities with valuable academic advantages and teachers with
innovative, research-based strategies to ensure participation and progress for every
student.

These arts-integrated programs offer students a means of self-expression, create

self-confidence, and build career skills while fostering communication and
independence. The arts enhance education, advance socialization, and promote
inclusion, and VSA programs make it possible for more people with disabilities to
contribute to the social, cultural, and economic life of their communities.

Inclusion teaches us that all means all. Everybody. No exceptions. By cultivating

creativity and imagination in the lives and learning of students with disabilities, VSA
promotes inclusion in ways that reach beyond the standard academic curriculum.

VSA is the sole provider of federally supported programs for arts in education for
students with disabilities. In 2010, 276,000 students in pre-kindergarten through
grade 12, including 136,000 students with disabilities, received direct arts instruction
through 3,700 VSA programs in 44 states and the District of Columbia. In addition:

• VSA affiliate organizations report that through efforts to create inclusion, nearly
half (49%) of all students who participate in VSA programs are students with
disabilities.
• More than 5 million people participate in VSA programs every year.
• Funding to VSA, shared with its national affiliate network, generates $7 for each
dollar of federal investment.

The arts improve and expand teaching skills in innovative ways. VSA affiliates
provided professional development to 8,400 teachers and teaching artists in 2010.
Training teachers to take advantage of the arts in the classroom, as well as to
strongly link arts curriculum to educational standards, strengthens the learning
process for more than 600,000 students with and without disabilities across the
country.

Integrating the arts into learning can produce dramatic results. Consider these
examples:
• Workshops offered by VSA New Jersey increased participants’ cognitive skills
by an average of 76%. In a teaching artist residency in the state, 85% of
participants showed growth in their use of art materials and artistic processes
as they created original artworks.
 • In addition to improvement in student learning, one VSA South Carolina
teaching artist residency had such a profound effect that reports of behavioral
incidents among participating students decreased 900% within the first month
of the program.
• An educational program from a New York affiliate measured the increase in
student self-esteem at 69% and the improvement in student communication
skills at 54%.

In an educational environment driven by academic achievement, the arts have an

accepted and demonstrated capacity to capture the attention of students and
teachers. Teachers value the increased focus, involvement, and growth in skills from
students with disabilities who have the opportunity to participate in and learn through
the arts.

The arts’ effectiveness in classroom learning has been observed and documented
through:
• Improving problem-solving skills —with an emphasis on sequencing, as well
as pattern recognition and creation.
• Improving motivation and comprehension— sustaining focus and time-on-
task leads to demonstration of recall, such as letter recognition.
• Increasing vocabulary and improving writing —theme-based instruction
provides a meaningful means of engagement and self-assessment,
particularly in developing descriptions and details.

The arts play a valuable—and irreplaceable— role in learning. VSA and its affiliates
are leaders in assuring that ALL of our nation’s students receive equal benefit from the
skills the arts can teach.

About VSA
Founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith, VSA is an international
nonprofit organization that provides arts and education opportunities for people with
disabilities and increases access to the arts for all. VSA programming and initiatives
are guided by four essential principles:
• Every young person with a disability deserves access to high quality arts
learning experiences.
• All artists in schools and art educators should be prepared to include students
with disabilities in their instruction.
• All children, youth, and adults with disabilities should have complete access
to cultural facilities and activities.
• All individuals with disabilities who aspire to careers in the arts should have
the opportunity to develop appropriate skills.

For more information about VSA, go to vsarts.org or facebook.com/VSAInternational

 ARTS IN HEALTHCARE

Across the nation, the arts are an integral component of healthcare. Partnerships between arts 
and health professionals demonstrate tangible benefits, including improving outcomes, reducing 
costs, and building communities. This document provides evidence that supports successful arts 
in  healthcare  programs  and  encourages  growth  of  these  programs  to  improve  our  country’s 
health and wellness. 

Arts in Healthcare is a diverse field representing over 16,000 medical, arts, and creative
arts therapies professionals dedicated to transforming the experience of healthcare by
connecting people with the power of the arts at key moments in their lives. This rapidly
growing field integrates the arts, including literary, performing, visual arts, and design, into
a wide variety of healthcare and community settings for therapeutic, educational, and
expressive purposes.

Research demonstrates the benefits of the arts in traditional healthcare settings as well as in 
mental  health  programs,  schools,  rehabilitation  treatment  centers,  special  needs  camps, 
disaster response teams, psychiatric forensic units, nursing homes, veterans' facilities, prisons, 
community  centers,  wellness  programs,  and  military  bases.  Studies  show  that  integrating  the 
arts into healthcare settings helps to: 

1) Cultivate a healing environment  
 
The  Arts  Share  Program  at  the  University  of  Iowa,  offers  the  Patient  Voice  Project, 
providing  therapeutic  sessions  with  chronically  ill  patients  that  helps  them  write  their 
personal  stories.  The  program  outcomes  include:  stimulating  health  and  well‐being 
benefits  for  patients;  improving  patient‐doctor‐family‐patient  communication;  and 
promoting  empathy  and  better  quality  care  by  healthcare  practitioners  about  the 
human experience of chronic illness.  http://www.uiowa.edu/artsshare/ 
  
2) Support the physical, mental, and emotional recovery of patients 
 
Dance/Movement Therapy is provided at The Neighborhood House Adult Day Services 
in  Salt  Lake  City.  Intergenerational  programs  for  older  adults  and  pre‐school  aged 
children  are  offered,  as  well  as  programs  for  adults  diagnosed  with  traumatic  brain 
injury, physical, visual, or intellectual impairments. 
   
For 40 years, Creative  Alternatives of  New York (CANY) has been offering therapeutic 
theatre programs to communities with special needs. CANY is based at over 15 different 
treatment settings in the New York metropolitan area, including Mount Sinai Medical 
Center  and  New  York  Presbyterian  Hospital.  Drama  Therapy  programs  assist  children, 
youth,  and  adults  with  mental  health  needs  create  fictional  dramas  that  allow  for  the 
expression of feelings, life roles, and experiences.  http://www.cany.org/ 
 
The World Trade Center Environmental Health Center at Bellevue Hospital in New York 
City treats residents, workers, and rescuers affected by exposure to the toxic dust cloud 
of  September  11th.  Art  and  dance/movement  therapy  interventions  have  focused  on 
stress  reduction,  anger  management,  self‐care,  empowerment,  adaptation,  and 
accessing traumatic memory often stored in images. Senator Schumer was invited to an 
exhibit  of  exemplary  artwork  at  Bellevue  in  December  2008  entitled  ‘Art  of  the  Dust 
Cloud’,  and  was  subsequently  asked  to  sponsor  a  similar  display  in  the  Senate  Russell 
rotunda. 
 
Board‐certified  music  therapists  work  closely  with  other  members  of  the  Medical  and 
Rehabilitation  Therapies  team  within  the  University  of  Iowa  Hospitals  and  Clinics  in 
Iowa City. They provide both individual and group services for multiple units, including 
adult  psychiatry  and  adult  medical  areas.  In  Child  Psychiatry,  music  therapy  addresses 
social,  cognitive,  physical,  emotional,  behavioral,  and  communication  goals.  For 
Inpatient  Medical  Pediatric  Services,  interventions  are  beneficial  to  children 
experiencing  social  isolation,  behavioral  resistance  to  medical  routine/procedures, 
developmental delay and fear, anger, or depression.  In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 
(NICU), music therapy provides safe sound stimulation for babies' developmental needs.  
  http://www.uihealthcare.com/depts/rehabilitationtherapies/musictherapy/childrensser
  vices.html 
 
3) Communicate health and recovery information 
 
The  Prenatal  Therapeutic  Dance  Project  (PTDP)  was  created  to  improve  prenatal 
education, care and healing effects for pregnant women. Weekly sessions were offered 
at Settlement Health, a community health center that serves East Harlem in New York. 
The  sessions,  where  pregnant  women  received  guidance  in  gentle,  physically  and 
emotionally  expressive  arts,  also  provided  a  forum  for  discussing  peri‐natal  health 
education topics. All of the patients reported increases in energy levels with decreases 
in  physical  discomfort;  all  reported  that  the  PTDP  increased  their  pregnancy  care 
knowledge; and 90% reported an improved connection with their baby.  
  
4) Foster a positive environment for caregivers that reduces stress  
 
In 2006, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City launched Meet Me at MoMA, an 
educational  program  specifically  designed  for  people  with  Alzheimer's  disease.  This 
monthly  program  features  interactive  tours  of  the  Museum's  renowned  collection  of 
modern art and its special exhibitions for individuals in the early and middle stages of 
the disease, along with their family members and caregivers.  Specially trained Museum 
educators engage participants in lively dialogue by focusing in depth on iconic art from 
MoMA's collection. Meet Me at MoMA has shown that the act of looking at art can be a 
rich and satisfying experience for people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers.  
http://www.moma.org/learn/programs/alzheimers  
 
5) Create safer, more supportive, and functional environments 

During  the  past  decade,  the  field  of  evidence‐based  design  has  expanded.  It  is  now 
recognized that well‐designed physical environments play an important role in helping 
to make hospitals and other healthcare facilities less risky and stressful for patients and 
their families and better places for staff to work. Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego 
is  leading  the  way  in  evidence‐based  design  in  children’s  hospitals.  The  hospital  has 
several  healing  gardens—each  involved  commissioning  many  artists  and  designers  to 
transform  lackluster  courtyards  into  whimsical  outdoor  retreats.  These  peaceful 
sanctuaries  provide  quiet  respite  for  patients,  families,  and  staff  and  promote  health 
and well‐being. The hospital combines extensive knowledge of children and their needs 
with  the  growing  body  of  evidence  about  the  interaction  of  people  and  places:  the 
impact of light and color, of texture and tone, of sounds and symbols.  They combine the 
arts and the sciences to help children heal. 
http://www.rchsd.org/aboutus/healingenvironment/index.htm  
 
Arts  in  healthcare  programs  and  creative  arts  therapies  have  been  applied  to  a  vast  array  of 
health issues, including post‐traumatic stress disorder, autism, mental health, chronic illnesses, 
Alzheimer’s  and  dementia,  neurological  disorders  and  brain  injuries,  premature  infants,  and 
physical disabilities—to improve patients’ overall health outcomes, treatment compliance, and 
quality of life. 

In 2004 and 2007, the Society for the Arts in Healthcare partnered with The Joint Commission 
and Americans for the Arts to conduct surveys that examined the presence of the arts in U.S. 
healthcare facilities.  

These surveys revealed: 

• Approximately  45%  of  responding  healthcare  institutions  had  arts  programs  utilizing 
creative  arts  therapists  and/or  professional  artists  in  their  facilities.  Reasons  for 
investing in arts programs included benefiting patients’ physical, mental, and emotional 
recovery; creating a healing environment; and helping patients’ families.   
 • Between  2004  and  2007,  the  number  of  organizations  funding  their  arts  programs 
through their operating budgets only rose by 16%. Although the increase is promising, 
this  accounted  for  only  about  half  of  the  arts  programs  in  healthcare  institutions. 
Additional support is necessary for arts in healthcare programs to adequately respond 
to our nation’s growing healthcare needs.  
 
BENEFITS OF THE ARTS IN HEALTHCARE  
 
Documented benefits of participating in visual arts and art therapy activities include: 
 
The MATISSE study aims to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of group Art Therapy for 
people with schizophrenia. 
 
¾ Crawford, M. J., Killaspy, H., & Kalaitzaki, E., et al. (2010). The MATISSE study: a randomised trial of group 
art therapy for people with schizophrenia. BMC Psychiatry. 2010; 10: 65. doi: 10.1186/1471‐244X‐10‐65. 
PMCID: PMC2940860 | Abstract | Full Text | PDF–248K |  
 
Clinical art therapy can be effective for adolescents who usually find it nonthreatening; their art 
can reveal the youth’s concerns and life circumstances, especially those too risky or personally 
embarrassing to relate verbally.  
 
¾ Riley, S. Art therapy with adolescents. (2001). West J Med. July; 175(1): 54–57. PMCID: PMC1071468 Full 
Text | PDF–3.3M |  
 
Creativity  interventions  using  expressive  therapies  have  a  demonstrably  positive  effect  on 
mental and physiological health indicators in older adults.  Art therapy can be a diagnostic and 
therapeutic tool.  Benefits: Coping strategies can improve to adapt to physical and psychosocial 
changes  of  aging.    Drawing,  painting,  sculpting  help  reconcile  inner  conflicts,  release  deeply 
repressed emotions, foster self‐awareness and personal growth.  
 
¾ Lavretsky, H. (2009). Complementary and alternative medicine use for treatment and prevention of late‐
life mood and cognitive disorders. Aging health. 5(1): 61–78. doi: 10.2217/1745509X.5.1.61; PMCID: 
PMC2772166. | Abstract | Full Text | PDF–102K | 
 
A  2005  outcomes  study  showed  quantitative  evidence  of  benefits  from  arts  participation  for 
people with mental health needs; qualitative case studies of six arts and mental health projects 
in England explored benefits from arts participation. 
 
¾ Secker, J., Spandler, H., & Hacking, S., et al. (2007). Art for mental health’s sake. mentalhealth today, 
July/August 2007; Pavillion Publishing, Ltd (Brighton, England) 
http://www.developbromley.com/public/ArtsandCulture/Evidence/Art.For.Mental.Healths.Sake.pdf 
 
Overview  of  the  background,  objectives,  aims,  settings,  and  methodology  of  the  project 
“Creativity, the arts and art therapy in mental health recovery: Developing a research agenda,” 
funded by Prahran Mission and Mind Australia, July 2007 to April 2008. 
 
 ¾ Van Lith, T., Fenner, P., & Schofield, M., et al. (2008). Creativity, the arts and art therapy in mental health 
recovery: developing a research agenda.  A collaborative research project between Mind Australia, 
Prahran Mission and La Trobe University. (La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086.) ISBN 1 (print 
version): 978 192 1377 549; ISBN 1 (electronic version): 978 192 1377 570. 

Positive outcomes achieved through music therapy and music interventions include: 
 
Infants  receiving  Neonatal  Intensive  Care  Unit‐Music  Therapy  (NICU‐MT)  gained  more 
weight/day than infants not referred for music therapy. 
 
¾ Standley, M., & Swedberg, O. (2011). NICU Music Therapy:  Post Hoc Analysis of An Early Intervention  
              Clinical Program. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 38(1), 36‐40.     
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01974556 

Music  training  found  to  be  more  effective  for  speech  production  in  low  functioning  children 
with Autism Spectrum Disorder than speech training without music therapy protocol.  
 
¾ Lim, H.A. (2010). Effect of "Developmental Speech and Language Training Through Music" on Speech 
Production in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Music Therapy, 47(1):2‐26. 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20635521  
 
Rhythmic auditory stimulation in music therapy to aid brain injury rehabilitation shows benefits 
for improving measures of walking. 
 
¾ Bradt, J., Magee, W.L., Dileo, C., Wheeler, B.L., McGilloway, E. (2010). Music therapy for acquired brain 
injury. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Issue 7. Art. No.: CD006787. DOI: 
10.1002/14651858.CD006787.pub2. 
  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/o/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD006787/frame.html 
  http://www.cochrane.org/podcasts/issue‐7‐july‐2010/music‐therapy‐acquired‐brain‐injury 
 
Music  listening  found  to  result  in  beneficial  effects  on  heart  rate,  respiratory  rate,  and  state 
anxiety  in  mechanically  ventilated  patients.  These  positive  effects  tend  to  decrease  risk  for 
complications, decrease length of hospitalization and in turn decrease healthcare costs.  
 
¾ Bradt, J., Dileo, C., Grocke, D. (2010). Music interventions for mechanically ventilated patients. Cochrane 
Database of Systematic Reviews. Issue 12. Art. No.: CD006902. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006902.pub2 
  http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab006902.html 
 
Music Therapy helps to reduce symptoms of depression. 
 
¾ Maratos, A., Gold, C., Wang, X., Crawford, M. (2008). Music therapy for depression. Cochrane Database of 
Systematic Reviews. Issue 1. Art. No.: CD004517. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004517.pub2 
  http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab004517.html 
 
 
Positive outcomes attained via dance and dance/movement therapy include: 
 
Decreases in depression, and increases in positive affect and vitality in psychiatric patients with 
depression.  
 
¾ Koch, S.C., Morlinghaus, K. & Fuchs, T. (2007). The joy dance: specific effects of a single dance 
intervention on psychiatric patients with depression. The Arts in Psychotherapy, vol. 34, pp. 340‐349. 
doi:10.1016/j.aip.2007.07.001 http://www.adta.org/Admin/Default.aspx 
  
Improvement in mood and other indicators of health in depressed adolescents.  
 
¾ Jeong, Y., Hong, S., Lee, M.S. & Park, M. (2005). Dance/movement therapy improves emotional responses 
and modulates neurohormones in adolescents with mild depression. International Journal of 
Neuroscience, vol. 115, pp. 1711‐1720.   
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00207450590958574 
 
Decreases in aggressive incidents among 4th, 5th and 6th graders and in 2nd graders, a statistically 
significant reduction in problematic behaviors that contribute to violence in the schools. 
 
¾ Koshland, L. & Wittaker, J.W.B. (2004). Peace through dance/movement: Evaluating a violence prevention 
program. American Journal of Dance Therapy, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 69‐90. 
http://www.springerlink.com/content/m6193708j56831ng/ 
 
¾ Hervey, L. & Kornblum, R. (2006). An evaluation of Kornblum’s body‐based violence prevention curriculum 
for children. The Arts in Psychotherapy, vol. 33, pp. 113‐129. 
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=GatewayURL&_method=citationSearch&_urlVersion=4&_ori
gin=SDTOPTWOFIVE&_version=1&_piikey=S0197455605000766&md5=35b240c2acf8afe7e1b2887405297
5d6 
 
Decreases in aphasia and/or agnosia following dance/movement therapy sessions for patients 
with Alzheimer’s disease. 
 
¾ Dayanim, S. (2009). The acute effects of a specialized movement program on the verbal abilities of 
patients with late‐stage dementia. Alzheimer’s Care Today. April‐June, pp. 93‐98. 
http://journals.lww.com/actjournalonline/Abstract/2009/04000/The_Acute_Effects_of_a_Specialized_M
ovement.7.aspx 
 
Interventions involving drama therapy, psychodrama, and dramatic arts have 
demonstrated the following benefits: 
 
Working with clients with PTSD, drama therapy safely increases capacity to tolerate the 
remembering and expressing of difficult memories. 
 
¾ Lahad, M. (2006). Fantastic Reality, Haifa: Nord and cited in Foa, E., Keane, T.M., Friedman, M.J. (2009). 
Effective Treatments for PTSD: Practice Guidelines from the International Society for Traumatic Stress 
Studies (2ed.), Guilford Press: New York, pg. 485. 
 
Among clients with autism and other developmental disabilities, the use of drama therapy 
improves self esteem, confidence and expressivity. 
 
¾ Snow, S. (2003). Therapeutic theatre and well‐being.  The Arts in Psychotherapy 30, 2, 73‐82. 
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V9J-4899VDC-
1&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2003&_alid=1665335045&_rdoc=2&_fmt=high&_orig=search&
_origin=search&_zone=rslt_list_item&_cdi=5900&_sort=r&_st=13&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=3&_acct
 =C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=8d057f9842bc6cffd79bd7bf8a34d209&se
archtype=a

For suicidal youth across cultures, the use of myth and fairy tale in drama therapy facilitates 
access and insights about difficult personal material.  

¾ Silverman, Y. (2004). The story within ‐ myth and fairy tale in therapy. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 31, 3, 
127‐135.  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V9J‐4CRY4SB‐
1&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2004&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=&_origin=&_zone=rslt_list_ite
m&_cdi=5900&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=1&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_
userid=10&md5=75532b0aac414ac1398855f4f499e073&searchtype=a 

A psychotherapeutic relaxation group that integrates drama therapy and progressive muscle 
relaxation diminishes aggression and regulates behavior among children in an acute psychiatric 
hospital. 
 
¾ Bornmann, B.A., Mitelman, S.A., Beer, D.A. (2007). Psychotherapeutic Relaxation: How it relates to levels 
of aggression in a school within inpatient child psychiatry. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 34, 3,  216‐222.  
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleListURL&_method=list&_ArticleListID=1659464544&_
sort=r&_st=13&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=02592cf00a6
6c798391fbcf49e4c95c0&searchtype=a 
 
Drama therapy (ENACT Method) used in New York City’s most troubled public schools increases 
emotional intelligence and helps students to modify disruptive behavior in the classroom and at 
home.  
 
¾ Horowitz, R. (2011).  Social and Emotional Development and Theater Skills in ENACT Workshops: Context, 
conditions, process and outcomes.  This study, funded by The Ford Foundation, is available through 
www.enact.com 
 
Studies using creative writing and poetry therapy as an intervention report: 
 
Improving lung function in students and adults with asthma after written emotional expression 
(Bray, Theodore, Patwa, Margiano, Alric, and Peck, 2003) 
 
Decreasing visits to physicians and reducing symptom complaints (Pennebaker, 1997, 2004) 
 
Research  has  also  focused  on  architecture  and  evidence‐based  healthcare  design, 
which include: 
 
The design of the physical environment impacts hospital‐acquired infection rates by affecting all 
three  major  transmission  routes—air,  contact,  and  water.    Evidence‐based  healthcare  design 
can decrease the number of hospital‐acquired infections, saving lives and reducing treatment 
costs.  
 
¾ Klevens, R. M., Edwards, J. R., Richards, C. L., Horan, T. C., Gaynes, R. P., Pollock, D. A., et al. (2007a). 
Estimating health care associated infections and deaths in U.S. hospitals. Public Health Reports, 122(2), 
160–166. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/pdf/hicpac/infections_deaths.pdf 
 
Spaces that reduce noise and improve lighting decrease the risk of medical errors. In addition, 
single‐patient  rooms  have  been  associated  with  fewer  medical  errors,  as  well  as  better  staff 
communication,  less  patient  transfer,  and  lower  infection  rates  as  compared  to  multi‐bed 
patient rooms.  
 
¾ Chaudhury, H., Mahmood, A., & Valente, M. (2006). Nurses’ perception of single‐occupancy versus multi‐
occupancy rooms in acute care environments: An exploratory comparative assessment. Applied Nursing 
Research, 19(3), 118–125. 
http://cool.coa.gatech.edu:8000/patientroom/uploads/1/Nurse%20Perception_Single%20vs.%20Multi%2
0rooms.pdf

Healthcare facility design, which harnesses nature, light, and other environmental factors, can 
be important to enhancing patient pain control.  
 
¾ Malenbaum, S., Keefe, F. J., Williams, A. C., Ulrich, R., and Somers, T. J. (2008). Pain in its environmental 
context: Implications for designing environments to enhance pain control. Pain, 134, 241–244.
http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/pain/article/S0304‐3959(07)00714‐2/abstract 
 
Poorly designed physical environments can contribute to hospitalized patients’ stress level.  
 
¾ Ulrich, R. S., Zimring, C., Quan, X., & Joseph, A. (2006). The environment’s impact on stress. In s. marberry 
(Ed.), Improving healthcare with better building design. Chicago: Health Administration Press (pp. 37–61). 
 
Providing  single‐patient  rooms  and  private  discussion  areas  can  facilitate  communication 
among  patients,  family,  and  staff,  offering  important  social  support,  facilitating  family 
members’ involvement in patient care, and increasing patient satisfaction.  
 
¾ Press Ganey, Inc. (2007). Hospital pulse report: Patient perspectives on American health care. Retrieved 
March 18, 2008, from http://www.pressganey.com/galleries/default‐file/hospital‐report.pdf 
 
Arts in Healthcare in the News 

Art Therapy Helps Children Cope with Tragedy, CBS New York, November 4, 2010, 
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2010/11/04/art‐therapy‐helps‐children‐cope‐with‐tragedy/

Dance/Movement Therapy: Autistic Boy’s Therapy, Times Union, October 2010, 
http://www.timesunion.com/default/media/Autistic‐boy‐s‐therapy‐4312.php 
 
Music Therapy: Inside Gifford’s Rehab, CNN Health, February 18, 2011, 
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/18/19059/ 
 
Poetry, Painting to Earn an M.D., The Wall Street Journal, February 1, 2011, 
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704680604576110240337491446.html?mod=
WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_5#articleTabs=article  
How Does Your Hospital Room Make You Feel?, The New York Times, December 16, 2010, 
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/health/views/16chen.html?_r=1&scp=54&sq=art%20an
d%20health&st=cse