American National Endowment for the Arts publishes a landmark report advocating for the value of TYA
Prepared in collaboration with Theatre for Young Audiences/USA, the US national center of ASSITEJ, “Envisioning the Future of Theater for Young Audiences” addresses “some of the structural and societal challenges facing the field and consider ways to overcome those challenges.”
Significantly, its official presentation highlights the value of TYA to the research for more sustainable solutions for the future, in the challenging context of the Covid-pandemic :
“The National Endowment for the Arts understands the role of theaters for young audiences in preparing our next generation to inherit a world that has become dramatically more complex,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “The value of providing theater experiences for young people and supporting the organizations creating those experiences is even more vital now.”
Available online, the report reviews the TYA scene looking at its challenges and opportunities, and proposes a focus on the impact of theatre on children. The summary of the June 2019 national TYA Convening is then introduced, including the presentations of the National TYA data survey by Dr Matt Omasta, and the New Victory Theater Intrinsic Impact Study, conducted by the theatre with the research firm WolfBrown, panel discussions and a detailed timeline of theatre for young audiences in USA from 1901.
