The Attitude of Art Teachers Towards Contemporary Fine Arts

Abstract

Students learn about the world in which they live through the subject of contemporary fine arts. They can form a range of views on the highlighted themes and develop their own critical thought by appropriately interpreting contemporary artwork. Because contemporary art is multifaceted, it also offers opportunities for encouraging artistic and creative work in the classroom. The role of the art teacher is crucial in this respect, because with the right approach, contemporary art can be successfully implemented in the curriculum. Such an approach, however, requires a committed and creative teacher who pursues continuous professional development. This paper deals with the attitude of art teachers towards contemporary art practices and how they follow contemporary art practices. This was done by looking for differences according to the respondents’ age and work experience. The study was conducted on a non-randomized sample of primary school art teachers (n = 84) from all over Slovenia. The age and work experience of the teachers interviewed in the study did not emerge as an important factor in shaping their attitudes towards contemporary fine arts. In any case, the study reveals new issues related to the promotion of positive attitudes towards contemporary fine arts among art teachers.