All of these activities are supported at both the high school, collegiate, and adult levels.
[1] Although marching and pep bands initially existed to fill the role of halftime entertainment at football games, the modern marching arts, while maintaining their enduring traditions, have grown into stand-alone activities.
The marching arts often participate in competitive events with panels of adjudicators assessing the groups on a number of captions.
Some of the captions often assessed in competition are: music performance (ensemble), music performance (individual), music effect, visual performance, visual effect, general effect, color guard, percussion, brass, woodwinds, and drum majors, among others.
Several governing bodies exist to adjudicate and promote the marching arts: