In the UK, young people are essentially free to drop the study of arts at 14. This may lead to "cultural exclusion", as they stop visiting museums, galleries, concert halls and the like. Commissioned by the Gulbenkian foundation and the Arts Council of England, this text addresses this problem.

It reviews the evidence and includes important new research which asks young people what they think; looks at different types of initiatives concerned with this issue and highlights the questions that the various sectors may wish to ask themselves - for example, how cultural venues can make themselves more accessible to teenagers and the possibility of some young people serving as 'cultural mentors' to their peers.