Robust cultural participation in any community depends heavily on having an effective system of support--a system that is made up of the contributions and relationships of many different kinds of stakeholders both inside and outside the cultural realm. Despite the centrality of understanding systems of support to people concerned with neighborhood conditions and dynamics as well as cultural vitality, this topic has received little research attention. This brief summarizes what we have learned so far about support systems that operate in communities and the characteristics of those systems most likely to produce opportunities for cultural engagement.