From Within and from the Outside: Exploring the Possibility of a Sustainable Future for Art Education

Abstract

Our vantage point defines what we see. It structures our perception, determines how we interpret what is in front of our eyes and it is often difficult to transcend the power of the perspective in which we are situated. The metaphor of a vantage point is applied in this paper to bringing to light the tension between art education as conceived by its practitioners and art education as considered by those who are positioned outside of the field. This tension has long been a source of frustration for art educators who have frequently felt misunderstood and powerless in the public discourse about the role and value of art education. Having transitioned in my professional journey from an art educator, researcher and advocate to a senior academic leader in a comprehensive research-intensive university, the author has gained an intimate understanding of both: the ways in which art educators think about their field and how it appears to the outsiders -- particularly when art education prerogatives are placed in a competitive context of other disciplines. This has prompted reflections on what changes may be called for in defining, framing and advocating for art education -- and what types of research may be required to position art education for a sustainable future in public education.