Symposium 'Theory and Art of Teaching Art and Theory'

Why is art education important? What does it mean to teach art? In what way have developments in the economy, media and politics changed the way we teach, or should teach art and theory? These are questions that will be addressed during the symposium Theory and Art of Teaching Art and Theory , organized by the Research Centre Arts in Society of the University of Groningen, together with the Minerva Art Academy Groningen, on 16 February 2012. Questions like these stand in a long tradition of thinking about art education, but they have gained urgency in light of government cutbacks, public debates about the value of art, and scientific research into learning and development. 

On the symposium, art education will be discussed by distinguished researchers, art teachers and policy makers. They will address the subject in its relation both to the theory and the practice of art. Keynote lecturers are Peter Weibel, Rudi Laermans and Barend van Heusden.

Peter Weibel is an internationally renowned conceptual and multimedia artist, curator, theoretician and director of ZKM Centre for Art and Media in Karlsruhe (Germany). In his art as well as in his theoretical writings he reflects on the socio-cultural effects of technology and (new) media . He has been teaching art and theory in several institutions in Germany, Austria, the United States, and Austrialia.

Rudi Laermans is professor of sociological theory at the University of Leuven (Belgium) and also a regular guest teacher at P.A.R.T.S., the Brussels based dance school founded by Anne Theresa de Keersmaeker. He was for several years also a guest lecturer within the Critical Studies programme organized by Malmö Art Academy & Lund University (Sweden) and has widely published within the field of social and cultural theory.

Barend van Heusden is professor of Culture and Cognition at the University of Groningen. He is project leader of ‘Culture in the Mirror’, a research project on art education funded by the Dutch department of Education, Culture and Science.

After their lectures the speakers will be joined in discussion by a panel of specialists from the field of art education, policy, and theory: Jules van de Vijver (chairman of the board of the Utrecht School of the Arts), Anna Tilroe (art critic and professor of art history at the Radboud University Nijmegen), Anne Nigten (lector popular culture Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen) and René Boomkens (member of the Dutch Council for Culture and professor of social and cultural philosophy at the University of Groningen). Moderator is Karl van den Broeck (freelance journalist, former chief editor of the Belgian magazine Knack).

Theory and Art of Teaching Art and Theory is meant for (art) students, teachers, researchers and policy makers, and for anyone interested in questions concerning the function and value of art education. We invite you to join us in discussion.

 

When: Thursday 16 February 2012, 11:00-18:30

Where: Minerva Art Academy, ‘Groene Zaal’ (2nd floor), Praediniussingel 59, Groningen (the Netherlands).

Language: English

Registration: Please register before 1 February 2012 by sending an e-mail to t.e.lijster@rug.nl

Programme: download the flyer [PDF]

 

ADMISSION IS FREE!