Now available — the Creative Youth Development double issue of Extensions magazine, guest edited by Denise Montgomery Extensions magazine — guest edited by Denise Montgomery
Resources

Resources for the field.

Publications, research, and global organisations for everyone working in creative youth development — plus selected research from our founder.

Field Resources

Reading and organisations from across the field.

A curated set of publications, research, and global organisations for everyone working in creative youth development.

Compiled from the Creative Youth Development double issue of Extensions (GELYDA). See the full list →

Publications & Research

Massachusetts Cultural Council

Creative Youth Development: Key Characteristics

IAM Lab, Johns Hopkins · BioMed Central

Supporting Youth Mental Health with Arts-Based Strategies: A Global Perspective

Tasha L. Golden, Richard W. Ordway, Susan Magsamen, and colleagues.

The Lewis Prize for Music

Producing Wellbeing: Music-Based Creative Youth Development's Approaches to Youth-Led Workforce Development

Arielle Julia Brown and Eric V. Ibarra (PDF).

Massachusetts Cultural Council

Seen & Heard: Transforming Young Lives Through Creativity

Blog.

Wallace Foundation

Something to Say: Success Principles for Afterschool Arts Programs from Urban Youth and Other Experts

Denise Montgomery, Peter Rogovin, and Neromanie Persaud (PDF).

The Hewlett Foundation

Ten Dimensions of Powerful Arts Education Practice

Lauren Stevenson and Sarah Crowell.

Arts Education Policy Review

The Rise of Creative Youth Development

Denise Montgomery.

Afterschool Matters

Trends in Creative Youth Development

Denise Montgomery.

Wallace Foundation

Well-Being and Well-Becoming Through the Arts: A Picture of Mattering for Youth of Color

Esohe Osai, Tom Akiva, Jackie Spiezia, Alecia Young, and Tracy Medra.

Global Organisations

Select Research Publications

A foundation of field-defining work.

Selected research, articles, and reports advancing creative youth development — authored and led by GCCYD founder Denise Montgomery.

Vol. 3 · 2026

Extensions — Creative Youth Development double issue

Global Extended Learning and Youth Development Association (GELYDA). Guest edited by Denise Montgomery.

Extensions magazine — the Creative Youth Development double issue — on display at the World Creativity Conference 2026
Vol. 3 · 2026

Create, Connect, Catalyse: An Introduction to Creative Youth Development

Extensions magazine, Global Extended Learning and Youth Development Association (GELYDA).

Vol. 3 · 2026

A Rationale for Advancing Creative Youth Development and Prioritising Creativity Throughout Extended Education

Extensions magazine, Global Extended Learning and Youth Development Association (GELYDA).

Vol. 10, No. 2 · 2022

Meeting the Needs of Young People During the COVID-19 Pandemic Through Program Adaptations in Creative Youth Development Programs

International Journal for Research on Extended Education (IJREE).

2021

Adapting Culminating Events for Right Now: Insights from and for Creative Youth Development Programs on Meeting the Needs of Young People During the COVID-19 Pandemic

World Education Research Association — International Research Network on Extended Education. Poster, International WERA-IRN EE Conference.

2021

Midcasting Toward Just Futures: Creative Youth Development's Waymaking to Systems Change Through and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Lewis Prize for Music — "Listening and Prioritizing Connection with Young People in CYD Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic."

Spring 2020

Trends in Creative Youth Development

Afterschool Matters Journal (National Institute on Out-of-School Time) — cover story.

2019

Creative Youth Development: A Powerful Combination of Arts, Belonging, and Life Skills

Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston — in "Brave: Reimagining Teen Arts Education."

2019

Trends in CYD Programs — Landscape Analysis

Americans for the Arts — part of the Creative Youth Development Toolkit.

2018

The Arts and Youth Development

Chapter in Youth Development Principles and Practices in Out-of-School Time Settings, Sagamore/Venture Publishing.

2017

Partnering with Community Arts Organizations: A Pathway to a High-Quality Club Experience

Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

2016

The Rise of Creative Youth Development

Arts Education Policy Review Journal — a 13,000-word article commissioned by Americans for the Arts, the National Guild for Community Arts Education, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

2014

Creative Youth Development Movement Takes Hold

The National Guild for Community Arts Education — lead article in Guild Notes.

2013

Something to Say: Success Principles for Afterschool Arts Programs from Urban Youth and Other Experts

The Wallace Foundation — primary author of the 133-page report with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Y-USA.

2011

A Cornucopia of Audience Development Resources & Research

National Arts Marketing Project — lead article, October e-newsletter and featured article.

2008

The Art of Competitiveness

San Diego Union-Tribune — feature in the Opinion section for the San Diego Regional Arts and Culture Coalition.

2007

Arts and Culture: Contributing to San Diego's Quality of Life and Economy

San Diego Union-Tribune — feature in the Opinion section.

2002

Denver's Wise Investment in Culture

The Denver Post — full-length feature in the Perspectives section.

1999

From NASCAR to Cirque du Soleil: Lessons in Audience Development

Co-project supervisor with Linda Bukszar and Erin Trapp.