"If young people realized why a sculpture is created in a public space, I'm certain there would be less vandalism," says Barend van Heusden (Luxembourg, 1957), Professor of Culture and Cognition at the University of Groningen from 2010 to 2024. He focuses on what happens in the brain when people create culture. We spoke with him about the importance of cultural education in schools, specifically visual arts education.
Can you briefly explain what cultural education exactly entails?
“Cultural education is the part of education in which students develop their cultural awareness. They learn to reflect on culture. They do this in social studies, history, philosophy, and religion, but also in literature and art education. In literature and art, people reflect on life by creating something. They use their imagination for this. The final product, or artifact as I call it, allows you to experience the artist's desire to share. So you don't learn to find art beautiful or ugly, but you learn to look at reality through art.
The value of art lies not in the artwork itself, but in what you can do with it.
You don't have to study Rembrandt because everyone considers him a good painter, but you learn that Rembrandt's Night Watch worked in his time in the same way that Keith Haring's street art does today. The value of art lies not in the artwork itself, but in what you can do with it. Students also learn how a work was created and why it was created in this way.”
What influence does visual arts education have on the development of children and young people?
“Art has a clear function of its own: it helps you grasp the reality of experience. People want to express themselves and share their experiences. Expressing your experience by creating something is just like eating and drinking; it's a very normal human need. It starts around the age of three. Art (and education) can guide that development. If you know that art is an expression of experience, you're less likely to express negative opinions about a particular work of art. For example, if young people realized why a sculpture is created in a public space, I'm certain there would be less vandalism.”
What is the current status of cultural education in Groningen?
That's difficult for me to say, because it varies from school to school. When I look at education in the Netherlands in general, the emphasis is often on language and math, with slightly less attention paid to cultural education. Some teachers aren't always clear about what cultural education entails. Teachers and schools benefit from good support from arts institutions and agencies in the areas of knowledge and materials. Another point is the way we think about education. It's still very vertical, which makes one profile—science and technology, for example—more valuable than another, in this case, culture and society. We should think more horizontally in education, so that all subjects are equal. Arts and culture are just as essential. [HvD]
A selection of educational projects in which schools and art institutions in Groningen collaborate:
AT KUNSTPUNT: ART BOXES AT SCHOOL Kunstpunt's art boxes offer a continuous visual arts curriculum, specially designed for students in grades 1 through 8. These allow children to discover the work of four famous artists, their lives, and the techniques they use. Each art box is based on a picture book, with activities that tie in with the story. This way, students playfully learn to work with various materials, techniques, and visual aspects, tailored to their age.
âšī¸ More info via đ kunstpuntgroningen.nl/educatie
GRONINGER MUSEUM TOUR The Groninger Museum Tour is a project by the Groninger Museum in collaboration with the ELJA Foundation. An American Airstream caravan converted into a mini-museum will travel through the province of Groningen. The caravan visits primary and secondary schools, cultural centers, community centers, and festivals. Museum educators from the Groninger Museum will offer inspiring and engaging workshops to introduce children to art, culture, and heritage in a playful way. They will also be invited to visit the museum.
âšī¸ More info via đ groningermuseum.nl/tour
CULTURAL SAFARI: Cultural institutions and schools in the province of Groningen organize an annual Cultural Safari for secondary school students. Hundreds of young people visit museums, artworks in public spaces, the theater, and the Forum to actively engage with an art form. Teachers and cultural institutions develop workshops, performances, and exhibitions specifically for these young people. The goal is to lower the barrier to entry for art, heritage, and media.
âšī¸ More info via đ culturelesafari.nl
âī¸ Heidi van Duuren
đ¸ Siese Veenstra, Niels Knelis Meijer and Sander van der Bij