Arts education in England has been progressively marginalised in the last two decades. Heidi Ashton and David Ashton investigate whether the same trend exists in Europe.
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Creativity and the curriculum: educational apartheid in 21st Century England, a European outlier? (Taylor & Francis Online)
Education in arts and culture is a complex area of policy, quite often cutting across or requiring the cooperation of different government departments. The underlying philosophy driving a government at any given time will inevitably lead to different approaches, which are actioned both through policies and rhetoric (Galloway and Dunlop 2007; Looseley 2011; Garnham 2005). This in turn influences and informs funding allocation and access to such education, reflecting the importance or value placed on cultural and artistic education within the national context.
In some countries ‘education’ and ‘culture’ are viewed as ubiquitous and combined in one department or ministry. In the Netherlands, for example, the ‘Ministry of Education, Culture and Science’ has objectives that include ensuring that ‘everyone has the opportunity to experience and enjoy culture’ and that ‘teachers, artists and scientists are able to carry out their work’.
Similarly, Finland’s ‘Ministry of Education and Culture’ has ‘far-reaching effects on people’s wellbeing and success’, with objectives that include ‘providing citizens with possibilities for personal development through education and cultural services’ and promoting international cooperation...Keep reading on Taylor & Francis Online.