Summer school for the arts: A study of arts classes and creative thinking in urban teenagers

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between participation in an intensive summer arts program and creative thinking as measured by pre- and posttests using the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. It sought to examine the experiences of the teen apprentices in the summer Art Camp program. The purpose of this study was to compare scores on the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking before and after a 7-week arts apprenticeship across arts disciplines with urban teenagers. A parallel explanatory research design was used. The two research questions were as follows: What is the relationship between the pre- and posttest scores on the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) after participation in an intensive summer arts apprenticeship? And How do Art Camp apprentices describe the impact of the program and their experiences as apprentices? Findings show an increase in creativity as measured by the TTCT and largely positive impact on the apprentices. Implications for transformational leaders include support for collaborative community partnerships as well as for the use of summer arts programming as a way to boost cultural capital for economically disadvantaged teens.