Gifts of the muse : reframing the debate about the benefits of the arts / Kevin F. McCarthy ... [and others].

Includes bibliographical references (pages 93-104).

Introduction -- Instrumental benefits: what research tells us; and what it does not -- Instrumental benefits: can we be more specific? -- Intrinsic benefits: the missing link -- The process of arts participation: how it relates to benefits? -- Conclusions and implications -- Review of the theoretical research.

During the past decade, arts advocates have relied on an instrumental approach to the benefits of the arts in arguing for support of the arts. This report evaluates these arguments and asserts that a new approach is needed. This new appraoch offers a more comprehensive view of how the arts create private and public value, underscores the importance of the arts' intrinsic benefits, and links the creation of benefits to arts involvement.

Also available in electronic form via the RAND Corporation Web site.