Global Arts Engagement Inequalities in and Outside School: Analyses of 441,183 15-Year-Olds Across 73 Countries

Participation in and enjoying arts and creative activities is a United Nations human right, offering significant benefits, particularly for young people. However, past research, predominantly from Western countries, has shown that many young people do not engage in the arts and that such engagement is socially patterned, yet research gaps remain. It is unclear whether this pattern is also observed in other parts of the world and whether it is persistent across both in-school and out-of-school contexts in different countries. We analyzed data from the OECD Programme for International Study Assessment (PISA), which surveyed 441,183 15-year-olds across 73 countries and found substantial variation in engagement rates. Three key engagement patterns were identified. (1) Countries with higher in-school engagement rates also had higher out-of-school engagement rates. (2) Most students engaged more in the arts in school than out of school. (3) Individual-, school-, and country-related factors may influence engagement, with a strong social gradient, especially for out-of-school engagement. Schools hold the potential to equalize engagement in and outside school and thus reduce cultural, health, and academic inequalities. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3: promoting wellbeing for all, and is relevant across multiple sectors and countries worldwide.