WASHINGTON, D.C.—Improving arts education is the key to creating a vibrant nonprofit cultural sector, a new study commissioned by the Wallace Foundation and conducted by nonprofit research organization RAND has found.

The study, "How to Cultivate Demand for the Arts: Arts Learning, Arts Engagement, and State Arts Policy," shows that demand for the arts in America has consistently failed to keep pace with supply. Researchers say that the cause for this discrepancy is the lack of strong arts education programs in the country.

"If we are not teaching the young how to engage with works of art," said Laura Zakaras, the report's co-author, "they are not likely to become involved in the arts as adults."

The researchers note that while national and state arts content standards are largely comprehensive, the reality is that most youth are not getting the proposed education. In many cases, they argue, the high stakes of standardized testing have led to a decrease in arts and humanities class time.

In response to the problem, the report recommends that state arts agencies and policymakers first conduct surveys about arts education in their areas; then, they should develop high school graduation requirements in the arts, recognize and publicize exceptional arts education programs, and advocate for changes in state policy.

"For policy change to happen at the state level, the entire arts community needs to get behind it," Zakaras said. "Arts educators can't do it by themselves. But if they were joined by other policymakers...who knows what they might be able to accomplish?"