Art education in schools
Pupils in primary and secondary education come into contact with art and culture through the artistic subjects in various forms.
On this page
Forms of artistic practice
A combination of three forms of artistic practice is ideal for art education in schools:
- Active: practising an artistic discipline. Such as making music, writing, dancing and/or making films.
- Receptive: reading and attending art events. Such as concerts, cinemas and/or music theatre. Deepening can take place by understanding concepts and terms, recognising styles and currents and understanding context.
- Reflective: critical reflection on active or passive artistic practice. This may bear on the own experience of art or the work/art of others.
Primary education
Cultural education is compulsory in primary education. Schools are allowed to define their own goals and give shape to their cultural education. Along with cultural providers they determine how the offer for cultural education best fits the educational vision of the school and on key areas for art and culture. Instead of short educational projects schools increasingly develop thorough cultural education programmes.
At many schools Internal Culture Coordinators (ICC) have been appointed. An ICC is one of the teachers with an additional task of providing appropriate cultural education for the entire school. There is a course for ICC-ers intended for teachers in primary education and employees of arts education institutions, aimed at developing a policy on culture within the school. In addition, there are cultural coaches, these are art teachers that form a bridge between schools and cultural institutions.
External providers of art education
In the implementation of the cultural education schools cooperate with culture providers and mediators. There are dozens of institutions that support teachers and mediate in the provision of school concerts, educational exhibitions, dance and theatre, video and film productions, such Mocca and Sep in Amsterdam. They make a selection based on educational and artistic criteria. Schools receive a manageable programme and have the booking arranged. Often there is a long-term cooperation with schools. The art education institution supplies art menus that offer the pupils in every year a varied range of artistic encounters.
Secondary education
Secondary education also pays attention to art and culture via the subjects Cultural and Artistic Education (CKV) and General Art (KUA). There are schools with a cultural profile that specialise in the field of art and culture.
Cultural profile schools manifest themselves more strongly as educational institutions with special attention for cultural education. They attract talented children. These children are taught a lot of different art disciplines that are connected to other subjects. And there are a lot of extra-mural activities.
"Beroepskunstenaars in de klas" course
Beroepskunstenaars in de klas (Professional artists in the classroom) is an annual post-hbo-course intended for artists who want to offer arts education projects in schools besides their professional practice. Artists can work on projects in primary education after this training without needing a diploma for teachers.