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In Finnish society, the importance of art and culture for the individual and for society has been recognised. Efforts have already been made to improve access to culture during previous government terms. Finnish arts and cultural policy emphasises that every child and young person must have the opportunity to participate in art and culture. Arts and cultural education strengthens, among other things, an individual's creative skills, cultural competence and overall wellbeing. It is also valuable in particular as an area of life that reinforces general knowledge and participation.

The Observatory for Arts and Cultural Education, Finland was established in 2017 on the basis of the policy proposal on children's culture (Ministry of Education and Culture 2014). It is a member of the European Network of Observatories in the Field of Arts and Cultural Education (ENO). The ENO network requires its members to prepare a national programme. The programme of the Observatory for Arts and Cultural Education, Finland follows the rules of the ENO network and the guidelines of UNESCO concerning arts and cultural education. The first national programme defined the purpose of the observatory's activities, its key objectives and measures for the years 2017–2022. This programme sets out the objectives and measures for the next five-year period (2023–2027). To support the implementation of the national programme, an annual action plan is drawn up, which defines the tasks and division of work of the observatory.

Objective

The aim of the Observatory for Arts and Cultural Education, Finland is to strengthen the equal accessibility and impact of arts and cultural education and to improve the social status of the field and its research. The observatory promotes the link between research and practice in arts education and the dissemination of research data into decision-making.

During the 2023–2027 programme period, efforts will be continued to strengthen the operating conditions of arts and cultural education and to influence decision-making on the basis of research data. The accessibility of arts and cultural education for all age and target groups will be supported. Awareness of the multidisciplinary impact of arts and cultural education and its research will be strengthened.

During the programme period, the objective is in particular to strengthen the position of arts education research as a scientific discipline and to influence the resourcing of research in arts and cultural education. The aim is to enable cooperation between research units and the field, and to make it possible to carry out long-term, extensive research and cooperation focused on developing the field.

During the programme period, particular attention will be paid to the importance of arts and cultural education in the midst of social crises and challenges. The aim is to highlight that resources invested in arts and cultural education and the systematic development of the field strengthen our national resilience. The key is to identify the means and possibilities of crisis-aware arts and cultural education and to communicate them. The objective is also linked to a stronger emphasis on the themes of sustainable development, ecosocial education, and democracy and peace education in the content and methods of arts and cultural education. One concrete area of activity, combining arts education, crisis awareness and peace education, is the use of arts and cultural education to support the integration of children and young people arriving from elsewhere.

Another key operational objective in this period is to influence the core curriculum for basic education, which will be reformed during this government term. The position of arts education in the core curriculum for basic education must be strengthened.

During the programme period, the observatory will monitor the development of upper secondary school diplomas in the arts and participate in the related discussion. The observatory seeks to strengthen the broad use and development of these diplomas and the recognition of their significance in further education. The observatory will also promote, for its part, the inclusion of cultural education plans as a mandatory part of curricula, so that all Finnish children and young people will have access to arts and cultural content. The aim is to reduce disparities in the quality of cultural education plans and their implementation.

The observatory encourages every wellbeing services county in our country to include regional objectives and measures for cultural wellbeing in their strategic plans and guiding documents. The aim of the plan is to make it possible for the residents of the wellbeing services county and for patients in care to participate in cultural and art services, and to promote preventive wellbeing and a high quality of life through arts and cultural education.

Means and measures

The Observatory for Arts and Cultural Education, Finland promotes its aims:

a. By collecting and sharing information on arts and cultural education practices, research and policies in Finland.

b. By strengthening the connection between research and the field of education and training.

c. By supporting cooperation between actors in arts and cultural education and the conditions for work in the sector.

d. By promoting international cooperation in the field.

e. By influencing the resources and conditions for research in arts and cultural education.
 

Key measures for the 2023–2027 programme period

Collecting and sharing information:

• Continuing the collection of research data on arts and cultural education and its storage in the lastenkulttuuri.fi portal.
• Sharing research data in seminars organised in cooperation with different actors.
• Developing research-based information packages and other materials.
• Preparing national proposals for measures related to research in the field and communicating them.
   

Strengthening cooperation between researchers, educators and field actors:

• Surveying and communicating the research needs identified in arts and cultural education.
• Developing the prerequisites for research in the field.
• Identifying and utilising the potential of existing activities from the perspective of research.
• Developing and embedding new ways of working and methods.
• Organising a national cooperation event at least once a year.
• Supporting the operational conditions for arts and cultural education.
   

Drafting and publishing statements and opinions:

• Consolidating and expanding channels of influence.
• Recognising and supporting the quality of Finnish arts education activities and systems.
• Participating in the international value discussion on arts and cultural education and applying it in practice
  Influencing the content of UNESCO’s new ‘Roadmap for Arts and Cultural Education’ and implementing it among different stakeholders in Finland.
• Collecting and disseminating arts education learning materials.
   

Promoting international cooperation:

• Strengthening long-term international cooperation and networks.
• Maintaining international ENO connections as well as preparing cooperation and participation.
• Increasing the visibility of Finnish arts education at international events and in publishing activities.

Operating principles of the Observatory for Arts and Cultural Education, Finland

The activities are guided by a jointly prepared national programme for 2023–2027, approved by the ENO network.
 

Organisation of activities

Actors:

The Finnish observatory consists of the University of the Arts Helsinki’s cERAda network (hereafter Cerada) and the Association of Finnish Children’s Cultural Centres (hereafter the Association). The Ministry of Education and Culture (hereafter MEC) supports the activities of the observatory.

In the national development work, partnerships are formed and cooperation is carried out with key actors in the field. By the beginning of this programme period, partnerships have been formed with the Association for Basic Education in the Arts, the Finnish Association of Adult Education Centres, the Finnish National Agency for Education, Aalto University’s Department of Art and Media, the Faculty of Art and Design at the University of Lapland and the Haukkala Foundation.


Division of labour and responsibilities:

Cerada and the Association together:

• On the basis of discussions, draw up the action plan for the following year by the end of November of the current year.
• Define the measures and responsibilities for the year in the action plan.
• Convene and prepare the meetings and gatherings defined in the action plan.
• Take the initiative in highlighting key issues related to advocacy and participate in the preparation of statements and positions.
• Jointly publish prepared positions and statements.
• Produce information on existing and newly launched research and strengthen their links to existing cultural and arts education activities.
• Invite special experts to join the discussion.
• Participate in the preparation of meetings and gatherings.
• Produce information on cultural and arts education activities, phenomena and research needs that may be of interest to the research field.
• Are responsible for international communication with the ENO network.

Cerada is responsible for:

• Collecting research data in accordance with the action plan.
• Maintaining contacts with different university actors.

The Association of Finnish Children’s Cultural Centres is responsible for:

• Collecting information in cooperation with CERADA and publishing and disseminating it on the lastenkulttuuri.fi website.
• Maintaining the overall communications of the observatory in accordance with a separate communications plan.
• Maintaining contacts with arts and cultural education actors in Finland and abroad.

MEC is responsible for:

• Providing cultural policy expertise and up-to-date information from the ministry for the cooperation.

Partners

• Provide, on the basis of their own expertise, significant information and development themes for the joint work.

• Participate in joint discussions and meetings as well as in the preparation of meetings.

• Take the initiative in highlighting key issues related to advocacy and participate in the preparation of statements and positions.
   

The actors jointly implement the annual action plan.

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