Call to Action on Arts Education

COVID-19 has devastated the arts and learning sector, threatening to push the arts completely out of post-pandemic school programming while limiting the impact of the sector on broader community revival. We are seeking endorsements for our Call to Action on Arts Education to help in our advocacy efforts as we seek to sustain and grow arts and learning in an emerging new normal. By adding your name, you will make a bold statement that arts and creativity are integral to the learning process, both at school and throughout life, and are fundamental to the development of the fully realized individual.

Call to Action on Arts Education - The Winnipeg Vision

The Canadian Network for Arts & Learning calls on governments, artists, educators, professional organizations, researchers, universities, communities, and all advocates of arts and learning to endorse the following principles to ensure that the arts are positioned to make an increased and sustainable contribution to learning both at school and throughout our communities.

The vision is the outcome of a major conference (Creative Convergence) held in Winnipeg, Manitoba in October of 2019 during which participating experts from across Canada and around the globe were asked to share their perspectives on the future of the sector. Their responses highlighted how the three goals of the Seoul Agenda, Goals for the development of arts education (UNESCO 2010) can be interpreted from the perspective of practitioners and learners.

We envision a sustainable future for arts and learning in which learners of all ages:

  1. Have Access

    • Access diverse and inclusive learning experiences in, through and about the arts via
      • Opportunities within the home, community, learning institutions, and workplace
      • Recognition and celebration of diverse artistic traditions and expressions
      • Digitally mediated and face-to-face engagement
      • Overcoming social, economic, geographic, and cultural barriers

  2. Experience Quality

    • Experience quality arts education via
      • Progressive development of artistic knowledge and techniques
      • Self-expression and human interaction
      • Responding to works of arts from diverse cultures and traditions
      • Balancing the potential and risks of technologically-mediated arts practice and learning
      • Moments of contemplation, curiosity, wonder, joy and delight

  3. Apply the Arts

    • Apply the arts to issues of personal, local, and global significance via
      • connecting to self, others and community
      • Building understanding, reconciling difference and mobilizing change
      • Supporting civic engagement and social good
      • Contributing to personal and community health and well being
      • Activating artistic ways of knowing within non-arts sectors

Our call to action is issued in sympathy with the provisions of the Frankfurt Declaration for Arts Education (World Alliance for Arts Education, November 2019) and is closely aligned with several of the goals and targets of UNESCO's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UNESCO 2015).

View the Call to Action as a PDF

Add your endorsement to the Call to Action on Arts Education

Recent Endorsements

Mariya Kovalevska

I am endorsing because I am an art teacher, and I can see everyday how positive the influence of artistic practice is. Personally, I am eternally grateful that 25 years of my life I interact with the world of art. It helped me to develop so many qualities and skills that now assure my success in every aspect of my life. Moreover, artistic practice brings pure joy into my life. Because of my own experience, I am absolutely convinced about the importance of art education and access to artistic practice for everyone

Sherry Lynn Bruder

I am endorsing because I believe Arts provide an outlet for everyone, sometimes it is all a person has to express themselves. I feel it is important to at least give people the opportunity to be exposed to the arts and some will only get that exposure through school. It is very important. As important as reading and math.

Valerie Wiebe

I am endorsing because I am an artist. I teach art. Art is crucial to a well rounded education.

Elizabeth Laishley

I am endorsing because I am an artist with extensive education in the arts

Artviewconsulting

I am endorsing because Art is important to myself as well as I believe it has to be introduced to young people in schools in order for them to appreciate it later in life. The intellectual wellness of a nation can be judged by how they value their art and artists.

Dan Skakun

I am endorsing because The arts are very precious for learning, expressing ourselves and enhancing our quality of life. The arts have long been struggling for their existence; but with the extreme COVID-19 restrictions placed upon society, the arts are now being crushed.