SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE IN CREATIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT and THE ARTS
Denise is a recognized globally for expertise in creative youth development and for clear and actionable research insights. She applies the insights from her work to advise youth development movements, CYD programs, cross-sector alliances, foundations, public agencies, and museums.
Denise’s expertise includes arts ecosystems and the creative economy, grantmaking strategy, creative youth development, youth program quality, family engagement, adult learning/professional development, and tween and teen engagement. She is experienced in local, state, and federal policy in afterschool programs and the arts; arts audience development and participation; and social and emotional development in the context of youth programs.
Denise has a particular interest in youth program quality because of the link between program quality, youth engagement, and youth well-being and overall positive outcomes for youth. As part of her work to build equitable access to high-quality youth development and expanded learning programs, she also works to advance cross-sector and allied youth sector collaborations.
Her work supports high-quality programming and identifies needs, opportunities, and levers for change. She engages in deep listening and collaborates with others with the shared goals of more young people participating in high-quality expanded learning and of thriving youth, practitioners, organizations, and communities.
Select Research Publications
Something to Say: Success Principles for Afterschool Arts Programs from Urban Youth and Other Experts. Something to Say helped codify the field of creative youth development, particularly through its 10 Principles of High-Quality Out-of-School Time Arts Programs.
“Trends in Creative Youth Development”, cover story of the Spring 2020 issue of Afterschool Matters Journal, a peer-reviewed publication of the National Institute of Out-of-School Time. Cover image: Mini Mix’d of Oakland, CA.
The first peer-reviewed academic journal article on creative youth development, “The Rise of Creative Youth Development”, published in Arts Education Policy Review Journal.
Textbook chapter on creative youth development in Youth Development Principles and Practices in Out-of-School Time Settings, published in 2018. "The voices represented in the chapters are from respected experts in the field." - Journal of Youth Development
Landscape analysis of trends in creative youth development programs, commissioned by Americans for the Arts
National Action Blueprint: Youth. Creativity. Now. Building opportunities and Support for Creative Youth Development, Commissioned by the Creative Youth Development National Partnership
“A leading researcher”
— National Institute on Out-of-School Time
“This research is an example of the deep and necessary connection between research and practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. By partnering with the field, Denise Montgomery has produced timely and relevant information that is inspired by the voices of young people in Creative Youth Development.”
— Erik Holmgren, Program Manager - Creative Youth Development, Massachusetts Cultural Council,
regarding CultureThrive’s research on Adapting Culminating Events During the COVID-19 Pandemic