Fourteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

This paper highlights graduation assignments of second-year students of the master of Education in Arts (of the Amsterdam University of the Arts). All projects emphasize the use of art for social change. Starting from the didactical concept of ‘authentic art education’ and theories of change and sustainability, students developed a 360° view on the design, implementation, and evaluation of their art educational project. In this paper, we will present and discuss the theoretical framework for our master’s course on art educational projects. Furthermore, we will share several examples and good practices for their art educational projects. Examples include a multigenerational multidisciplinary performance about the turbulent history of Amsterdam’s shipbuilding wharf. Another project combined dance, graffiti, rap, and spoken word, in a collaborative endeavor between young people in a juvenile detention center and professional artists. The third example highlights a class of secondary school pupils who pay weekly visits to a senior citizen’s home to share artworks and conversation with the residents.