This survey paints an enticing picture of the effect community arts and humanities programs have on children and youth. It also suggests the value of supporting these programs, promoting their proliferation and conducting more extensive studies of their effectiveness.

Most of these community organizations operate with limited staff and small budgets. Technical assistance programs, perhaps supported by the corporate sector, community foundations or local arts or humanities councils, should be developed to strengthen their administrative and fund-raising capacities.

With increased resources, new areas could be explored to expand the effectiveness of programs and enhance staff opportunities. For example, staff could learn from and train at other centers. Travel grants, paid sabbaticals, staff mentorship programs and performance exchanges would all contribute to creating a network to enrich existing programs. In time, new types of communication could lead to new collaborations and partnerships among centers.