Art and education, an essential alliance for the future of the school
At the meeting organized by the ARA in collaboration with the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, the different alliances to transform the way of teaching and learning were explored.
To educate is to open new paths through connections. At a time when educational challenges are multiplying, it is essential to invest in innovative methods that empower students and allow them to fully develop. In this context, the relationship between art and education is presented as a fundamental tool for transforming schools.
With the aim of exploring the connection between the arts and education, a valuable alliance to transform the way we teach and learn, the ARA, in collaboration with the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, organized the event. Education and culture: alliances to transform the schoolThe event, held on October 21 at the La Pedrera Auditorium and moderated by ARA journalist Antoni Bassas, featured the participation of the director of the ESMUC, Núria Sempere; the former director of the Pau Sans School, Magda Camps; the director of the Escola Arts Institute, Albert Inglès; the deputy director of the Teatre Lliure, Francesc Casadesús; and the director of Science, Education and Research of the Catalonia La Pedrera Foundation (FCLP), Lluís Farrés. The speakers reflected on how art can be a tool for building citizenship and transforming schools, while detailing the challenges and opportunities for consolidating the alliance between arts and education.
The impact of art in the classroom
The event began with the screening of a video showcasing the work of Tandem Schools, a project of the Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation that connects schools with cultural institutions. This initiative seeks to integrate art into schools as a vehicle to spark creativity and engage students. The purpose of the video was to convey to those in attendance the essence of this commitment to a diverse educational model.
Learning through the arts
The debate began with a presentation by Lluís Farrés, Director of Science, Education, and Research at the FCLP. Farrés highlighted how the Foundation has been addressing current educational challenges by incorporating art into schools. He spoke of the importance of promoting an education that, beyond transmitting knowledge, is capable of awakening emotions and creating deep connections between students. "Our job is to guide children so they improve in all skills."
"When we receive musical training, we not only have the vocation to teach music and dance, but also the desire to apply it to other disciplines," explained Núria Sempere, director general of the Higher School of Music of Catalonia (ESMUC).
The former director of the Pau Sans School, Magda Camps, began her intervention by explaining that "the word art, although he has few letters, impresses those of us who are not artists." In their case, the work they have at the center is to make families see that educating through art has a purpose. And they are clear: when education is connected to art, students not only learn content, but also develop a critical and creative vision.
Albert Inglès, director of the Institut Escola Arts, shared his experience with the art project he implemented at his school. He emphasized the importance of empowering students and allowing them to decide how they want to express themselves. At the school, "we try to bring culture closer to families and involve them in different activities to create a network," Inglès stated.
Francesc Casadesús, deputy director of the Teatre Lliure, shared his perspective on how culture can contribute to transforming society and emphasized that art is a vehicle for social cohesion and fostering critical citizenship. "Art goes far beyond the intellectual: art is emotion, expression, intensity."
Overall, the event demonstrated that the relationship between art and education not only enriches students but also has a direct impact on the educational community. Sempere, concluding the event, emphasized that art can be a tool for personal transformation for everyone involved in the educational process.
The challenge of consolidating the connection between education and culture
At the end of the meeting, the speakers agreed on the need to continue working to consolidate the alliance between art and education, despite the obstacles that still exist in many schools. As they concluded, the connection between education and culture is essential for the future of our schools. It is important to continue working on this task and not lose momentum in the face of any difficulties that may arise.
In this sense, it was also evident that the future of education requires a more open and flexible approach, in which art is a fundamental tool for empowering students. The speakers shared their vision of an educational system that not only seeks to educate in academic knowledge, but also to foster creativity, criticism, and social involvement through the arts.
