Art, Sustainability and Learning Communities

By engaging with education, contemporary art and global sustainability goals, this book connects the artistic way of communication with ecological obligations and social issues and promotes a sense of active citizenship. International, empirical and curricular research presents a case for strong learning communities that take a clear political stand in favour of socially engaged art pedagogies. The main aim of is to showhow shared spaces for exchange in the fields ofart education and continuous professionaldevelopment can reflect, inspire and integratesustainability principles that are becoming crucialin today's world. The authors propose the ideathat coordinated action can lead to a moresustainable future by promoting a sense ofcommunity, lifelong learning and confidence in thepossibility of changing current conditions. Its threeparts combine expertise in visual arts education,education for sustainable development,contemporary art practice and sustainabilityactivism. While Part I focuses on literature in thefield and the interrelation of different disciplines,Part II provides concrete examples of professionallearning communities and pedagogies that can beused to enrich the field of art education. Finally,Part III presents brief case studies illustratinginternational projects by contemporary artists,curators, environmentalists and others, providingeducators with several inspirational models ofconcrete and creative action.