Music and Arts for All Youth Everywhere

Over and over, young people consistently call for the arts – music, visual art, theater, dance, and media – to be central to their lives. And, research has long shown that the arts are powerful contributors to positive youth development, mental health, academic success, workforce preparation, and lifelong wellbeing. Despite this demand and the benefits, too many children, teens, and young adults lack access to consistent high quality art making opportunities.

The Creative Youth Development (CYD) field, with its decades long history of standing alongside young people who have the least access to opportunity, is at the forefront of ensuring the arts are available to all. In doing so, CYD organizations advance arts learning and participation as more than a source of personal expression. They prioritize the arts as a source of identity, culture, healing, and agency.

With this intention, CYD organizations collaborate across all systems where young people experience marginalization, including education, workforce development, mental health, foster care, and youth justice. They cultivate multi-generational practices and partnerships to ensure young people mature in safe supportive environments rich with stimulating artistic experiences and pathways to their dreams. 

Creating Abundance Collaborative

We established Creating Abundance Collaborative (CAC) to champion the transformative presence of creativity in the lives of every young person, no matter their circumstance or the systems they are navigating. We serve as a national intermediary linking the grass-roots youth arts field, youth-serving sectors, and philanthropy. 

The CYD field has long lacked a convergence point for sharing and strengthening the cross-sector characteristics of its work. We are devoted to building these connections so the arts become central contributors to positive change across all youth-serving systems.

We are dedicated to organizing and participating in local, state and national cross-sector collaborations that facilitate dialogue, grow knowledge, expand funding, inspire advocacy, and guarantee all young people have healthy relationships and creative skills rooted in their identity and culture to thrive.

We look forward to working with everyone who has a heart for young people, their creativity, leadership, and dedication to their communities!