Written by Wilder Researcher Ryan Ander-Evans
In 2025, the Arts Board partnered with Wilder Research to evaluate youth development outcomes of arts programming with a subset of eight grantees who engage young people in the arts. The grantees included Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota, Circus Juventas, ComMUSICation, Grand Center for Arts and Culture, Great River Educational Arts Theatre, Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies, Kulture Klub Collaborative, and Sueños Unidos / Dreams United.
With the eight Arts Board grantees, Wilder surveyed a total of 488 children and young people to learn about how they were impacted by arts programming. Grantee surveys asked about 10 youth development outcomes, including social-emotional outcomes, motivations and goals outcomes, and arts outcomes.
Social-emotional outcomes
Figures below represent averages of survey responses across grantees.
“I liked drawing my feelings. I understand myself better.”
– Youth participant
“[I learned that] you need a lot of people and teamwork to make [a] good play.”
– Youth participant
Motivations and goals outcomes
Figures below represent averages of survey responses across grantees.
“[I learned] how to try hard to make something good.”
– Youth participant
“[I learned] that if I practice, I can get better and I can be proud of me.”
– Youth participant
Arts Outcomes
Figures below represent averages of survey responses across grantees.
“I improved my drawing and artistic abilities.”
– Youth participant
“[I like] that I can freely express and be myself and project my voice.”
– Youth participant
Learn More
- Read the cohort outcomes summary for more information about findings across grantees.
- For more information about how we evaluated youth development outcomes with grantees, review this youth arts program evaluation toolkit that compiles the various tools and approaches Wilder used for this project.
- The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota engaged their young people in a dance-based method. Wilder created two zines based on these dances – print them off and try the dances for yourself!
- Finally, we developed templates for the three arts-based methods we used, and we’ve created fillable PDFs and Microsoft Word documents so you can use these methods too!
- Dance-based method worksheet: PDF | Word document
- Drawing-based method worksheet: PDF | Word document
- Poetry-based method worksheet: PDF | Word document
About the Author
Ryan is a creative data strategist who specializes in qualitative research, inclusive design, and bridging diverse perspectives. He joined Wilder Research in 2013, and his work focuses on arts & culture, human services, and youth development consulting.
