Cultural Programs for Young People: An Historical and Ethnographic Study of Policy, Practice and Power

This thesis argues that institutionalised arts and creative programs (termed ‘cultural’) shape young people’s identities and regulate their behaviours as self-governing citizens. It shows how these programs are formed in different political settings, drawing on fieldwork, policy and historical documents. It offers several examples situated within the governing rationales and practices of liberalism, including popular schooling, philanthropy and community arts. Finally, it analyses political trends and ethnographic data to show how arts organisations in Melbourne navigate an increasingly precarious policy and funding environment, providing meaningful and effective cultural participation in ways that conform to and contest neoliberal ideals.