ABSTRACT
In 2006, a study by the National Endowment for the Arts in the United States reported a positive correlation between participation in arts and cultural activities and civic behaviour. For instance, arts participants were generally more active volunteers in the community and more engaged in sports and outdoor activities (NEA 2006). The relationship is not necessarily a causal one, but it does suggest that a community of individuals that displays a high level of participation in arts and cultural activities is likely to be one where the community bonding, level of self-help and attitudes towards healthy living is likely to be high. In this sense, individuals, communities and nations can be enriched by the production and consumption of arts and culture.
