Art Education in India: Challenges and Possibilities
Organised by FIAE and the Goa University
As complex changes occur in the world around us, the shifts in our ideas of what constitutes art and art practice need to be constantly re-visited, re-assessed and re-oriented. However, this endeavour is rarely undertaken. Often, institutions built to take it forward in one period become the dead weight dragging it back in a later period. Therefore, special efforts need to be made from time to time to examine the issues that plague the system and search for a way forward.
This cannot be efficiently done in the absence of any country-wide data and we had none to begin with. A few years back following an art education conclave in Goa, FIAE was formed and it was decided to undertake such a basic survey covering as many art colleges in India as possible. As a part of this we have collected factual information of nearly 80 art colleges in India. A part of this seminar on art education in India was devoted to presenting the findings of this survey. While the survey brings the state-of-the-art schools into the public domain in a clearer manner, information alone is not sufficient to make the changes we need to bring about.
It is equally necessary to engage with corrective possibilities, course corrections and future visions. Most professionals working in art schools and allied areas already have an intuitive understanding of the issues. Rather than a single template, it is important to maintain plurality and regional accents without losing sight of national and international discourses. The second and more considerable part of the seminar was thus devoted to an exchange of ideas between people who have thought through some of these issues and developed a vision of their own about future possibilities in art education.
A wider perspective and planning across interactive sectors is crucial to make any planning for the future effective. With this in mind, this seminar brought together a small group of experts from art education, museums and public art platforms, art administrators and fundraisers to participate and exchange notes. Principals and other senior teachers of the art schools surveys were also invited to participate in the deliberation at the seminar.
Foundation for Indian Art and Education (FIAE)
The Foundation for Indian Art and Education (FIAE) is a registered, non-profit foundation established in Goa, dedicated to support visual art and education in India. FIAE’s vision is to create a forum of experienced voices for art education, art appreciation and pedagogy in India. It wishes to address critical issues concerning teaching methodology, content and contemporary art practice.