The arts have long been promoted as helping people learn and care about situations and people other than themselves. However, large-scale research on this question is sparse. The current paper uses four national datasets to examine how arts engagement is associated with prosocial traits and behaviors. We ask the following: Are people who create or consume art more prosocial (e.g., more likely to volunteer and make charitable donations)? Does this depend upon art genre (visual arts, performing arts, or literature)? Does engaging in the arts at one time predict prosocial behavior 7 years later? And vice versa? We include sociodemographic and health controls to rule out confounds. To date, this is the most comprehensive investigation of how arts engagement is associated with prosocial behavior, and has implications for theory and practice.

The arts have an incredible potential for expanding interconnectedness, for reaching people, touching them, and increasing empathy and compassion in the world.

—Olafur Eliasson

The arts are embedded in our daily life, and are theorized to bring diverse perspectives, personal enrichment, and a sense of belonging (Carnwath & Brown, 2015). There are two levels of participation in the arts. Arts creation involves making or doing arts activities (such as painting, playing a musical instrument, acting, or dancing). Arts consumption involves attending art museums, galleries, events, or performances. In this article, we examine...