The Culture of Art within the Society - Research Proposal Example

Art &Culture Establishing an Art Institute in the UAE Order No. 374016 If art is to an average the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his/ her vision whenever it takes him/ her. John F. Kennedy (Former President) Abstract The importance of art within a society is both vital and undeniably part and parcel of humankind. As Pablo Picasso the great artist once said “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Art is a medium that is used to communicate across all cultures. It helps to give us inspiration of all things past and present. However, the importance of art is quite limited for a number of different reasons which include a lack of understanding of the subject, insufficient training in the field and poor economic conditions. In this essay we are going to examine some of these factors which would be very useful in paving the way for better artistic outcomes. Introduction Art education was a term traditionally used in the field of education to refer to learning of visual arts and its teaching. Since the 1960s the term “arts education” became the standard nomenclature (Efland, 1990), which referred to all art forms like dance, drama and music. An education rich in arts creates a deep and lasting impression in the minds of children and there is no doubt that it serves to enhance children’s abilities and capabilities. An education steeped in art is invaluable to children as it widens their knowledge of the world and motivates them to excel in different areas. However, not many are lucky to follow an artistic career due to the lack of specialized institutes, especially the ones for targeting young children and there is a dearth of opportunities that are made available to them. In trying to achieve the lofty ideals of setting up a proficient art school in the UAE, we find that there are many important things to be taken into consideration because of the many drawbacks that present themselves. Firstly, we should understand that there is a great need to set up an art institute here as UAE lacks a good Art institute. Moreover, I feel that children would be greatly benefited by it. This research paper is targeted at making an investigation into the subject of art in the UAE which would be very useful for laying the foundation for a well reputed art school and thereby established the culture of art within the society. Discussion Art of any kind should always begin at the grassroots level because it helps to lay a much stronger foundation, which would serve to have better artistic outcomes. ‘Catch them when they are young’ is a saying that has psychological implications as well as practical ones. Engaging children in art from a very tender age serves to channelize their energies in the right direction and make them excel in what they do because children learn better and faster when compared to adults. From a psychological perspective art helps children to become broadminded and widen their vision of the world through aesthetic beauty. Therefore, introducing art into the kid’s curriculum is the best way to begin. At school, children receive not only guidance and motivation from the teachers but also gain a lot of knowledge and ideas from their own peer groups. Laying the foundation for the culture of art from a very tender age provides children the opportunity to enhance their visual and performing skills and abilities and paves the path of success for them. Setting up an Art School – The need for it A key factor in the evolution of the human race has been the study and practice of art. There is an urgent need to reform the educational system in the emerging global scenario. A great deal of attention is being paid to providing education that helps a student improve his or her creativity. Educators all over the world have realized that art education can be used as an effective tool to improve a child’s creativity and original thinking. The implementation of art education in schools also results in improved ethical values among children within an informal and formal set-up. Besides enriching their aesthetic and creative talents, children learn other important values in life like co-operation, tolerance, sharing and caring. Such values are equally important for gaining success in their creative careers. Rapid changes on the socio-economic front have made it compulsory for educationists to rethink and revalue their different educational strategies. New approaches are needed to help build a workforce that is capable of excelling in their chosen career and also lead a meaningful life. However, people today have come to understand the importance of creative arts and are encouraging their children to take up any creative art that they are interested in. This is another factor that is quite evident among parents these days and hence I feel that it is the best time to initiate children to study this subject. This was one of the points that contributed towards triggering the interest to open out a new art school in the UAE, considering that this facility is lacking here. There has been a phenomenal growth in the creative industries sector. New age careers in designing and media of different kinds has given an impetus to learning of arts. Even when there is stagnation in the traditional economic sectors a continuous growth in the careers related to the creative industry sectors is exceptionally evident. In Europe and America, the entertainment, communication and education sectors are making rapid strides in its growth and development. They are expanding exponentially and leaving behind traditional economic areas which were hither to regarded as major employment generators. A multi- pronged curriculum that is based on knowledge and the arts, would be especially beneficial in developing a child’s knowledge, emotional, social and physical as well as creative and aesthetic skills. In the new school that I wish to establish in the UAE, I would keep all the above objectives in mind and try to achieve them through a variety of activities involving music, dance, drama and other creative skills. Another very important point that would be taken into consideration for the new school would be to see that children are not only provided with ample opportunities to hone their skills but also have a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere to do so and one that is filled with a lot of fun and encouragement. The art courses designed for children would be graded according to their ages to enable fine motor development, creative development and cognitive thinking. The Art School that is being established would comprise of a special Art institute that would be teaching art and its allied branches exclusively for kids. This Art School would help to motivate the children to understand and appreciate the world of diversity they live in and enable them to contribute towards society in the future. Target Age The target age for enrolling in this specialized Art Institute is 4 years to 15 years because the minds of this age group are highly receptive, pliable and easy to mould. Children within this age group are spontaneous and are ready to accept or come out with their own ideas and creations. Children are at their highest learning potential between 4 -15 years and this is the reason that it is the right age when new things could be easily taught and grasped. All the lessons to be taught in the new Art school would be graded according to the child’s level and capabilities. Special Programs and Methodologies Specialized programs and intensive and extensive methodologies for creative teaching would be employed in the curriculum to obtain the best results. Qualified and specialized teachers would help to engage the children in the learning process by incorporating art into their teaching methodologies. Platforms for honing and enhancing their different skills and abilities would be provided and children would be guided on how to achieve the best results. Sir Kenneth Robinson is a British author who wrote ‘All of Our Futures’ which was a report directed towards ‘The National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education. The key factors in the report was that a much stronger emphasis should be laid on creative and cultural education and if this is to be brought about there should be a revolutionary change in the curriculum by incorporating the creative arts and motivating the students in its various facets. In establishing a new Art School, I like to incorporate many of Dr. Kenneth’s ideas because not only do I think they are revolutionary but also because I understand that it would help children to be better individuals and enjoy a bright future. In his book ‘All our Futures’ Dr. Kenneth (1990) states that the present generation is living within the realms of a rapid changing culture and hence creativity in the arts would serve to bring about a balance in their knowledge, skills and innovation in the world around them. (Dr. Kenneth,1990) Dr. Kenneth’s thoughts, ideas and genuine approach has influenced me to a great extent and since I am catering to the present generation, I think it would be very useful to incorporate many of his innovative strategies into the new Art School. Dr. Kenneth was knighted in the 2003 for his great contribution to creativity and arts education especially in the field of art. Besides this, he is a great speaker and international advisor of the arts to the Government, non- profit organizations and other art bodies. Sir Kenneth took the initiative to spread the development of arts throughout England and Wales by conducting different workshops and motivating programs for art teachers, administrators and artists worldwide. Children’s Workshops Children’s workshops provide a good platform for children to hone and sharpen their skills in Creative arts and also to showcase their creative talent and skills. Such workshops serve to build children’s confidence and self- esteem and open out their creative channels by observing and creating. In attempting to design a few workshops for the new art school, I came upon ‘Nugent Education Limited’ where they design various workshops for children according to their needs. Some of their workshops include drama and group activity, animation workshops, singing, dancing, graffiti art murals, Origami, crafts using re-cycled materials, clay- modeling and film production. (Nugent Education Ltd. 2011) The workshops for the new school would be very much on the same lines but all the activities that would take place here would be essentially child- centered with the teacher acting only as a guide. The children would be encouraged to use their own ideas of creativity and would be guided only with constructive criticism. At the end of every workshop, the children would be encouraged to show their peers what they had created and explain the whole process that went into the making. To encourage healthy competition, the teacher could grade them as a small class assessment. This would encourage children to work harder towards achieving excellence. Workshops could also be an extension of school art classes, where the child gets the chance to develop art skills on a special platform away from the school. Family program The family should always be an integral part of any creative or learning process. Hence conducting Family programs would serve to build a child’ confidence and raise their self esteem. Family members could be encouraged to take part in the children’s workshops to lend their support and appreciation. Some family programs include storytelling to introduce children to works of art. Museum educators could guide children while looking at or examining one work of art in the art gallery and explaining to them a few important details about it. Thereafter, children can be given a simple hands-on activity for which their parents could help them. Art Camp Art camps are mostly organized when children are on holiday away from regular school. Art camps have a lot to offer by way of fun, education and a chance to pick up different skills. But in the case of an art school, art camps can be arranged at any time depending on what the activity is. Activities such as handwork, arts and crafts, drama could be incorporated in a very interesting way during art camps. During art camps children learn how to use their creative talents as well as learning to socialize, co-operate and being helpful and tolerant towards others. I really like the concept of art camps because it caters to the all round development of a child and makes learning more meaningful and wholesome. Since I really appreciate the idea of a wholesome education, the new art school would definitely have many art camps based on the age and capacity of each age group. For special art camps I would try to engage specialists in that particular area to share their thoughts and ideas with the children and enlighten them on particular subjects of art. Gallery The purpose of a kid’s gallery will be to make the children develop a solid foundation in arts appreciation and creativity. Awareness will be created and the interest of the children will be aroused through a wide range of programmes related to arts. The way children view the world and their ability to understand and explore the things around them is taught through the medium of arts. Programmes in art help children to hone their skills of observation, problem solving and communication. Such exposure also helps them develop creativity and imaginative thinking. Learning of arts helps in the improvement of physical coordination. The very good works of art by children should get to feature in the art gallery and exceptional work should always be rewarded. Visits Sir Ken Robinson in his path breaking report on the need for changing educational policies explicitly states that importance should be given to creative and cultural education in school. One of the best ways to enable children to get a first hand experience on the subject of arts is by inviting great artists to visit the art school and share their thoughts and experiences with them. Visiting artists can be recruited to enrich the existing curriculum. Mingling with good artists and learning from them would inspire them to do even better and at the same time such visiting personalities could help them to have a global vision in all that they do. Such experiences would help them learn how to behave and accept other artists since today we belong to a multi- cultural society. Starting A Kids Museum Setting up a kid’s museum would be an added attraction of the school. Visitors would be encouraged to take up informal art classes under the guidance of expert teachers. The mission of the museum would be to inspire learning through interactive learning which is self directed. Many kids museums in the United States of America provide children with fun filled learning experiences. The kids can also be accompanied by the parents for a wholesome family outing. The other activities that the museum could encourage will be the use of technology in arts. An increasing amount of technology is available to students that help in the learning process. Interactive exhibits provide a stimulus to the creativity of the child and the child will be able to learn while playing. Story telling sessions by expert story tellers would help children pick up the nuances of the language and also help to better their speech and diction. FACULTY The most important resource in a school is the teacher. It is imperative that the teachers employed in the art institute should be highly qualified and motivated. These teachers also need to have a good understanding of children and the way in which they can be taught the different arts. Lack of qualified teachers would be a severe handicap to the learning - teaching process. In such a scenario, the students would be reduced to “passive consumers of standardized consumer culture.”(UNESCO 2000, Darkar) According to research psychologist Howard Gardner the most brilliant curriculum will not do any good to the student, unless the teachers “are in sympathy with and feel some ownership of the curricula material” (Gardner.H, 1990). UNESCO AFRICA In a multicultural environment , the cultural dimension cannot be ignored. In fact it acquires fundamental importance. Artistic pursuit is essential not only for creativity but also because it helps in the attainment of knowledge. Culture and arts are valuable components of any education and there is no doubt that both these subjects are inter disciplinary and compliment each other in many different ways. Development of society is directly linked to the development of an individual and this is achieved through exposure to the various arts. Social and moral values are taught in the schools by incorporating arts education into the core curriculum. This enables the students to develop a critical and exploratory bent of mind. The students are able to express their ideas and develop innovative thinking. Such a quality is also a prerequisite for performing any task in the conventional curriculum that requires originality, creativity and innovation. The emphasis of traditional education was to make the students receptive and make them capable of absorbing knowledge in large quantities. The future citizens of the world were prepared to ensure social continuity by propagating and following existing societal norms. With the passage of time there was a development of interdependence between nations. The advent of globalization and the new emerging economic scenario has effected a paradigm shift in the concept of imparting and receiving education. The education system today has to prepare children to adapt to various changes and make them explore and enhance their aptitude of expression. Considering that it is very necessary to establish a new arts school that would greatly contribute towards satisfying a wholesome and all round education, I am all the more enthusiastic to see that this dream becomes a reality. Teaching arts in the nursery school requires a flexible curriculum. The learning of arts can be interlinked with the subjects taught in the core curriculum. Once the children are familiarized with the rudiments of basic arts, their creativity is automatically stimulated. The methods that can be adopted at this level are storytelling and singing that can be combined with related games and activities. Graduation a) special Requirements b) Giving Credit c) Overseas Scholarship FUNDING - GOVERNMENT SUPPORT The mission statement of the Abu Dhabi Educational Council is that they work towards maximizing the potential inherent in each child. The Council also promotes the adoption of new ideas which help in the development of skills. One such idea is the creation of an art school for children where the children will be taught arts so that they may be able to preserve the culture of their country and move forward in the world forum with sensitivity towards the art and culture of their home nation and the nations of the world. Abu Dhabi Educational Council works towards nurturing graduates who can be ‘independent thinkers with the ability to create, innovate, and support the economic and social progression of Abu Dhabi.’ An art school exclusively for children will help in making the children innovative thinkers. THE KHALIFA FUND An art school for children needs to be set up at par with international standards so that justice is done to all the children who enroll in it. To translate this project into a reality there are many avenues that a citizen of Abu Dhabi can explore. Foremost among the government agencies which provide aid to young entrepreneurs is the Khalifa Fund to support and develop small and medium enterprises. The mission statement of this fund states clearly that ‘fresh graduates who wants to venture into business on their own or with their peers’ will be encouraged. SPONSORING All over the world educationists along with policy makers are emphasizing the need to promote adaptability and creativity. The many challenges being faced by the educational system are personal, social, economic and technological in nature. An important facet of studying arts is linked to the understanding of culture. Schools today work with a number of organizations and individuals to promote and facilitate cultural and creative education. Such a relationship is both complementary and beneficial. These practices require expert training, funding and quality assurance. ART EDUCATION IN A MULTI-CULTURAL SOCIETY The geopolitical boundaries of nations around the world no longer seem rigid with the advent of the technological age. Electronic communication has blurred the demarcations among nations. The notion of multiculturalism is a part of our everyday life. In nations like United Arab Emirates we find multiculturalism all around us. People from all over the world have made Abu Dhabi their place of residence and have thereby contributed to making the place a multicultural city. It is in this respect that the arts of various countries should be taught and experienced. The notion of convergence can be taught through the medium of art education. Although we accept multiculturalism in our society, one finds that there is no specific school curriculum that helps children in assimilating and living in such a society. Art therefore can help children understand the differences between various cultures and forge a bond among children of different nations and cultures. INTER DISCIPLINARY ARTS “The arts teach children to make good judgments about qualitative relationships. Unlike much of the curriculum in which correct answers and rules prevail, in the arts, it is judgment rather than rules that prevail.” Elliot Eisner (2002). The concept that art education serves as a springboard to quality education, is a well established fact. Training in various arts helps a child to improve his or her self-confidence, critical thinking capabilities, higher order thinking and problem solving skill. With the advent of the digital culture, children today have to face ever changing scenarios in day to day life. Children have to use multiple disciplines to express themselves. Facing uncertainty everyday the children have to be equipped to take decisions and to carry out problem solving. Therefore, there is an urgent need for children to learn arts as it helps them to satisfy these multiple disciplines and make a success of their lives both culturally as well as socially. An interdisciplinary art learning helps a child in learning to surrender to unanticipated possibilities. All our lives we are confronted with the dilemma of decision making and problem solving. A sound education in arts helps us improve our decision making and problem solving skills which in turn help us in every facet of our life. The child studying art may grow up to be either an artist or an entrepreneur. Whatever direction the course of life takes we do not know, but an interdisciplinary art education helps the child tremendously in facing society today. It teaches them to thrive in an uncertain environment. Interdisciplinary arts teach a child that their outlook of the world is unique and this particular outlook becomes their greatest asset in the future. Exposure to storytelling, dramatics, drawing, singing, dancing and acting teaches a child that the world is composed of many components and they can achieve their goals by judiciously using the tools that are relevant to their area of learning. If a child has a hands - on way of learning and another a visual-spatial way of learning, they can be provided software which they will find interesting. The interactive software can help each child to present his or her views in a way in which they are comfortable. Interdisciplinary art media is crucial to learning and I would definitely incorporate this concept into the curriculum of arts. References Abu Dhabi Educational Council http://www.adec.ac.ae/English/Pages/RD.aspx Children’s Educational Activities www.nugenteducation.co.uk/ Elliot Eisner (2002). The Arts and the Creation of the Mind Efland, A. (1990). A history of art education: Intellectual and social currents in teaching the visual arts. New York and London: Teachers College, Columbia University. Howard Gardner (1990) Art Education and Human Development (Occasional papers) Khalifa Fund http://www.khalifafund.gov.ae/html/HtmlPages/faq.html Katherine Louis Mitchell – museum of Fine Arts www.theeducationalregister.com/​PressDisplay.asp?prid=87 Ken Robinson (1990) All Our Futures, Art Education and Human Development. Kids Space Children’s Museum www.kidspacemuseum.org/ National Gallery of Art – Family Activities www.nga.gov/programs/family/ Regional Conference on Arts Education; (2001) Cultural heritage ...creativity. and education for all in Africa ... on Arts Education, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. www.unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001246/​124647E The importance of Art in Society www.mcsk12.net/Hall_of_Fame/ArtsFlyer.pdf UNESCO 2000. - The Dakar Framework for action. - Education for all: Meeting on collective commitments, Dakar, April 2000. Read More

Therefore, introducing art into the kid’s curriculum is the best way to begin. At school, children receive not only guidance and motivation from the teachers but also gain a lot of knowledge and ideas from their own peer groups. Laying the foundation for the culture of art from a very tender age provides children the opportunity to enhance their visual and performing skills and abilities and paves the path of success for them. Setting up an Art School – The need for it A key factor in the evolution of the human race has been the study and practice of art.

There is an urgent need to reform the educational system in the emerging global scenario. A great deal of attention is being paid to providing education that helps a student improve his or her creativity. Educators all over the world have realized that art education can be used as an effective tool to improve a child’s creativity and original thinking. The implementation of art education in schools also results in improved ethical values among children within an informal and formal set-up.

Besides enriching their aesthetic and creative talents, children learn other important values in life like co-operation, tolerance, sharing and caring. Such values are equally important for gaining success in their creative careers. Rapid changes on the socio-economic front have made it compulsory for educationists to rethink and revalue their different educational strategies. New approaches are needed to help build a workforce that is capable of excelling in their chosen career and also lead a meaningful life.

However, people today have come to understand the importance of creative arts and are encouraging their children to take up any creative art that they are interested in. This is another factor that is quite evident among parents these days and hence I feel that it is the best time to initiate children to study this subject. This was one of the points that contributed towards triggering the interest to open out a new art school in the UAE, considering that this facility is lacking here. There has been a phenomenal growth in the creative industries sector.

New age careers in designing and media of different kinds has given an impetus to learning of arts. Even when there is stagnation in the traditional economic sectors a continuous growth in the careers related to the creative industry sectors is exceptionally evident. In Europe and America, the entertainment, communication and education sectors are making rapid strides in its growth and development. They are expanding exponentially and leaving behind traditional economic areas which were hither to regarded as major employment generators.

A multi- pronged curriculum that is based on knowledge and the arts, would be especially beneficial in developing a child’s knowledge, emotional, social and physical as well as creative and aesthetic skills. In the new school that I wish to establish in the UAE, I would keep all the above objectives in mind and try to achieve them through a variety of activities involving music, dance, drama and other creative skills. Another very important point that would be taken into consideration for the new school would be to see that children are not only provided with ample opportunities to hone their skills but also have a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere to do so and one that is filled with a lot of fun and encouragement.

The art courses designed for children would be graded according to their ages to enable fine motor development, creative development and cognitive thinking. The Art School that is being established would comprise of a special Art institute that would be teaching art and its allied branches exclusively for kids. This Art School would help to motivate the children to understand and appreciate the world of diversity they live in and enable them to contribute towards society in the future. Target Age The target age for enrolling in this specialized Art Institute is 4 years to 15 years because the minds of this age group are highly receptive, pliable and easy to mould.

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