SPPA Notable Quotable: Lissa Soep, Senior Scholar-in-Residence, YR Media

"Fun. What an important concept at any point in the history of arts participation, but especially at a time when other sources of joy—theater rehearsals, marathon studio sessions, singing along to music with a crew of friends—were off the table due to the health risks that they posed. As a scholar and producer interested in equitable pathways for young people into arts learning experiences and careers, I am struck by the powerful skills that creators acquire even through activities that are play-based." — Lissa Soep, Senior Scholar-in- Residence, YR Media

To mark the one-year anniversary of two NEA research reports about how Americans engaged with art during the COVID-19 pandemic, the NEA Office of Research & Analysis commissioned a series of thoughtful essays about the reports’ findings and implications—from the perspective of arts practitioners. The two surveys chronicle a historic phase of transition in our nation’s cultural life. These essays further explore these trends,  discuss what they mean for the future of the arts and—most important of all—share practical insights from a cross-section of the nation’s arts and cultural leaders. The essay from YR Media Senior Scholar-in-Residence Lissa Soep—“A lot of people are turning to art”: What the 2022 SPPA Survey Findings Mean for Young Creators—writes about the challenges of capturing engagement data for emerging or boundary-crossing art forms.