Supporting lifelong learning in the arts is a top priority for state arts agencies. By supporting arts education in the schools, state arts agencies foster young imaginations, address core academic standards, and promote the critical thinking and creativity skills essential to a 21st century work force. State arts agencies also support after-school/out-of-school arts programs, early childhood arts learning, the arts in higher education and many programs that teach the arts to adults and seniors. To achieve these diverse arts education goals, state arts agency grants and services take many forms such as: (1) grant funding; (2) services; (3) research; and (4) partnerships and collaborations.