Arts + Immigration Fact Sheet - ARTS+IMMIGRATION

Oct 28, 2026

Arts+Immigration fact sheet highlights how new immigrant communities enrich the United States through arts, traditions, and storytelling. It emphasizes that immigration and integration can create cultural tension, yet arts and culture foster harmony and belonging. The sheet reports measurable impact: participatory arts strengthen community ties, immigrants’ grandchildren are twice as likely to attend cultural events, and immigrants are more likely to take part in tech-based arts. It also notes improved psychological well-being among culturally engaged immigrants.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Impact Points

Examples of Practice

The Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program

Reading List

Arts Impact Explorer FactSheet ARTS+IMMIGRATION OVERVIEW Each newwaveofimmigrantstothe UnitedStates brings new perspectives, traditions, andart, whichaddtotheevolvingcultural tapestryofAmerica. The unique, complexamountofimmigrationandintegrationthat Americancommunitiesconstantlygothroughcan placecultures in conflict—butartsandculture isalsooneofthe bestwaystocreateanew harmony. Arthasthe powertotellstoriesandcan be usedto representhumanityin itsfull, multidimensional, andcomplexways. Immigrantscontributegreatlytotheartisticandcreativeexperiences thatbenefitsallAmericansfromallbackgrounds. However, immigrants—particularlyfirst-generation immigrants—oftenchoose notto participate informal mainstreamartsandcultureactivities, favoringparticipatoryartsactivities(e.g., amateurchoruses, poetry writingcircles, hiphopgroups, etc.) thattendtobe more informaland oftenconnectedtotheirculturalheritage. Immigrants, andparticularly theirchildren, tendtoadopttheculturalbehaviorsoftheir U.S.-born neighborsovertime. IMPACTPOINTS 85% STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY TIES Morethan8outof10participatoryarts activitiesstrengthencommunityties, includingacrossculturalexperiencesand viewpoints. 1 IMMIGRANTS’GRANDCHILDREN 2X AS LIKELY TO ATTEND CULTURAL EVENTS Comparedtofirst-generation immigrants, U.S. residents inthecountryforthreegenerationsor more participate in livetheateratmorethan doublethe rate. Ingeneral, cultural participation rates risethe moretime has passedsince immigrating, reachinglevelscomparabletothe U.S.-born populationafter15years of residency.4 IMMIGRANTS19% MORE LIKELY TO TAKE PARTIN TECH-BASED ART Immigrantsare upto19percent more likelyto take part inavarietyofculturalactivitiesthat incorporatetechnology—particularlythe useof television, mobiledevices, orthe internettoview artforms likeclassical music, salsa, ballet, contemporarydance, andtheater. 2 1 IN 4 U.S. NOBEL LAUREATESIN LITERATURE ARE IMMIGRANTS The number iseven higheroverallfor Nobel Laureates. Thirty-nine percentofthe U.S. science Laureatesare immigrants—and manyofthemthankcre5ativeenterprisesfor theirscientificsuccess. 57%BELIEVE AMERICAN CULTURE IMPROVED BY IMMIGRANT CULTURES Fifty-seven percentofAmericans believe thatimmigrants improvethequalityofthe food, music, andarts inthe UnitedStates—a numberthathas increasedby17percentin the last10years.3 CULTURE IMPROVES IMMIGRANTS’ WELLBEING Immigrantswho participate inculturally meaningfulactivities, includingtheir indigenousarts, show improved psychologicalwell-being, enhancedpositive emotionsandfeelings, anddeepersocial connectionswithothers. 6 EXAMPLESOFPRACTICE | “Exposure”Municipal Photo Fellowship, San Diego, CA
As partofanefforttoexplorecivicandsocietalissuesthroughphotography, theCityofSan Diego hasannouncedtheselectionofartistJohn Raymond MirelesfortheCity’sfirst-ever photo fellowshipprogram, Exposure. MireleswillworkalongsidetheOfficeof Immigrant AffairsandArtsandCulturestafftodevelopa projectthatsharesthestoriesandlivesof immigrantsand refugees livinginSan Diego.
[https://www.sandiego.gov/blog/exposure-new-municipal-photo-fellowship](https://www.sandiego.gov/blog/exposure-new-municipal-photo-fellowship)
[image:](image:Camera lens imagefrom programsite)[Camera lens imagefrom programsite](image:Camera lens imagefrom programsite) | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | Chasing LOVE, Philadelphia, PA
TheOfficeofArts, CultureandtheCreative Economy(OACCE) hosted LittleAmal, a globalsymbolof refugee rights, duringtheirwelcomingweek. Alongside LittleAmal
werecitywideeventsfocusedonArts&immigration.
[https://www.creativephl.org/ce/little-amal/](https://www.creativephl.org/ce/little-amal/)
image: LittleAmal Puppetwithheartsandthewordlove | | | | “Until WeAre AllFree”Art Kit from CultureStrike, Oakland, CA
Incollaborationwith Mobilizethe ImmigrantVote(MIV), CultureStrike hascreatedaneasy guideto helpyouwith makingstencils, banners, andotherartprojectstofuelevents, ma

FAQs

How does arts and culture help create harmony during immigration and integration?

Arts can tell stories and represent humanity in multidimensional ways, helping create new harmony even when cultures come into conflict during integration.

What impact does participatory arts have on community ties?

More than 8 out of 10 participatory arts activities strengthen community ties, including across cultural experiences and viewpoints.

What additional benefits are reported for immigrants who participate in culturally meaningful activities?

Culturally meaningful participation is associated with improved psychological well-being, enhanced positive emotions, and deeper social connections.

Oct 28, 2026

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