International Journal of Education & the Arts

Citation: Aris, M. P., Wright, P. R., & Pascoe, R. (2019). Negotiating effective arts education partnerships: School and industry professionals and the high school musical. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 20(16). Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.26209/ijea20n16.

Abstract

The landscape of arts education is changing, with an increased focus on collaborative partnerships between schools and arts sectors for the purpose of creating richer arts education  both process and products. Using a combination of phenomenology and autoethnography, this research explores how one particular form of arts education partnerships function in order to consider the enablers and constraints to working effectively together. The study draws on data from interviews of eight key education (School Professionals) and industry staff (Industry Professionals based at a professional venue) and the first author’s reflective journal conducted over a ten-day period during the staging of a high school musical. The findings reveal how traditional roles and practices are being re-visioned and reshaped to encompass both industry and education values connecting aesthetic quality with educational outcomes. The result of these partnerships at their best, produce not only richer experiences for students, and deep learning, but also closer industry and education relationships that are inclusive, productive and mutually beneficial.

Visual Abstract

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