Proving the benefits of Gallery engagement for young people

We worked with the Museum of Contemporary Art to evaluate their GENEXT Program, a festival-style event for people aged 12-18 years featuring live music, performances and art- making and interactive experiences.

We explored how GENEXT impacts individuals in real time and later in life through a series of interviews with key stakeholders, two focus groups, a series of observations, and a survey of over 1,000 past and present GENEXT attendees. We sought contributions from experts in mental health, government funding and the arts.

Our research proved that GENEXT positively impacts young people’s mental health and well-being while also helping them to cultivate their creativity and experience a sense of belonging.

The work has been used in conversations with funders and has been presented at conferences internationally, adding to the knowledge base in a growing field.

Visit out publications page to read the report.

Image credit: MCA, David Goldblatt