Den kulturelle skulesekken : narratives and myths of educational practice in DKS projects within the subject art and crafts

Abstract

In 1995, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs released a plan of action for aesthetical subjects and culture in compulsory education (Kulturdepartementet and KUF (Kirke- utdannings- og forskningsdepartementet) 1995). This outlined collaboration between the two ministries and professional fields was aimed towards the 1997 curriculum, L’97 (KUF 1996). The compulsory school subject Art and Crafts (A&C) was given the status as an area of further development (Vestøl 1996) in the new national curriculum. In addition, several local school pilot projects of different nature, involving culture institutions and artists in collaboration with schools, were launched throughout these years. 1 The first pilot projects were funded in 2001, and already 10 of the districts had development projects, while the 9 others where establishing plans, pilot projects and local development in relation to collaboration between what I have chosen to refer to as the ‘school world’ (Eisner 1998) and the ‘art world’ (Dickie 1984). I will return to a fuller description of these worlds at a later stage. The results were evaluated locally, but as a consequence of these local projects, resources were made available to develop a program that could be established nationwide.