Abstract
In this chapter, I highlight the current tension between the two main tendencies in arts education: the instrumental and the philosophical, or art for art’s sake. I point out the advantages and problems of each and draw on a future orientation if we want to deepen and enrich our community of arts educators and researchers to live a meaningful life in the arts. I favor the philosophical approach that should be kept open with the belief that where aesthetic and artistic values are intrinsic, they may offer hope and joy. The chapter is divided into the following parts: First, I explore understanding the focus and the scope of the promise arts in education today. Next I consider the controversial question this understanding brings up: What has gone wrong? I offer some musings on how to fix it. Finally, embracing the idea that arts can save people’s lives, I explore the big question that remains: How can the arts work on our physical and spiritual dimensions and be sustainable? One possible fundamental answer might be found within the domain of languages of art, establishing it as the leading voice in enhancing aesthetic and artistic dimensions of arts education.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Arts Education and Sustainability in a Time of Crisis |
| Subtitle of host publication | Yearbook of Arts Education Research for Cultural Diversity and Sustainable Development |
| Editors | WoongJo Chang, Shin-Eui Park |
| Place of Publication | Singapore |
| Publisher | Springer Nature |
| Pages | 43-56 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Volume | 4 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-981-96-0344-2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2025 |