Introduction to the operation of The Finnish Association of Art Schools for Children and Young People 1982-2005 

The association has operated in close co-operation with the Ministry of Education and the Finnish National Board of Education since the beginning of its operation. The association has strived to impact the operation and financing of art schools e.g. with the following proposals and actions.

Already on 10 February 1988 the association made a proposal to the Ministry of Education to appoint a work group to determine the education of teachers of art schools for children and young people as well as to prepare the Act on art schools for children and young people. The same brief contains a proposal to appoint a work group to draw up a curriculum for art schools for children and young people. In the same year the Ministry of Education appointed a commission to determine a curriculum for visual arts as well as a work group to draw up a proposal for the Act on the arrangements of art education for children and young people. The Act never came into force, but we have understood that the Act on Basic Education of Art later emerged as a result of the proposal.

A pedagogic further education of artist teachers to update the pedagogic readiness of teachers organised by the Education Centre of the University of Art and Design Helsinki started in 1987 ordered by the association. An artist's pedagogic studies were organised in 1990-1999, consisting of 40 credit units. The education was directed primarily at artist teachers. After a few years' break the studies have been newly taken up in the further education programme. 

Co-operation of the background organisations of basic education of art started in 2002 and continues regularly. The work group named itself TPO group (= taiteen perusopetus [basic education of art] = taiteen parhaat osaajat [the best specialists of art]). The work group has organised annual collective training days titled Art as a basic right for the entire field of basic education of art as well as spoken out together e.g. on funding questions by making statements to the Parliament and the Ministry of Education on increasing financing for basic education of art and state subsidies for the background organisations.

The association has acted as a communicator between the Ministry of Education, the Finnish National Board of Education and schools. 

Representatives of the association have participated as experts in the curriculum work groups appointed by the Finnish National Board of Education. Representatives of the association also participate in a work group that designs the Finnish National Board of Education's web site, which supports the implementation of the curricula.

Already since 1986 the Finnish Association of Art Schools for Children and Young People has gathered information with an enquiry survey carried out every two years on the education provided, number of pupils, finances, administration etc. in all known art schools for children and young people. This survey is a task that requires great effort, yet is important work for the association, because with it real information will be acquired on the operation of the schools. The information provided by the association on the schools and their situation is based on facts. Information for 2004 was gathered in 2005. 

In 2000, the first art schools for children and young people were accepted into the sphere of teaching hour-based state subsidy. Today, 14 art schools, of which one also offers basic education of architecture and one is a multi-arts school, are in the sphere of state subsidy. Nearly all art schools have the readiness and willingness to provide art education in accordance with the bases of the broad syllabus, but due to financial reasons the schools are not able to start providing broad education, because neither more grants nor teaching hours have been allocated in the teaching hour-based state subsidy after 2001.

The association has tried to influence the increasing of grants and the number of teaching hours via the Ministry of Education and the Parliament both alone and together with the TPO group.

Since 2002, art schools for children and young people have been able to claim a discretionary state subsidy from the Ministry of Education. A discretionary state subsidy allocated to a field of art other than music was in total 136 000 euros. The association as well as the TPO group have also tried to influence the increasing of discretionary grants.

Ordered by the association its work groups have compiled different publications supporting art education, such as, the newest publication Grafiikan kirja- viivasta vedokseen. The publication activity continues.

The association organises versatile training for principals, teachers and office staff of its member schools. For example, the association organised a training of 4 credit units titled Portfolio as a development tool of the art school in co-operation with the University of Lapland in 2003-2004, which 40 teachers and principals from different art schools participated in. A work group was founded at a training day organised by the association in November 2005 to draw up a curriculum model for general studies of basic education of art based on the bases of the curriculum approved by the Finnish National Board of Education.

The association also organises exhibition activity, through which basic education of art, operation of art schools and art pedagogics are introduced to the general public. 

As part of international activity the association co-operates with Nordic art education associations and individual art and culture schools as well as schools in the Baltic countries.

In 2005 the association participated in a co-operation project with the German Bundesverband der Jugendkunstschulen und Kulturpädagogischen Einrichtungen e.V. organisation. Then 15 representatives of art schools across Germany participated in a visit to Finland. A follow-up plan of the co-operation is in progress. A plan to form a European co-operation network of art schools for children and young people is in progress in co-operation with the German Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Kulturpädagogische Dienste / Jugendkunstschulen NRW e.V.

Co-operation of organisations of basic education of art in Finland

The Association of Finnish Music Schools, founded in 1956, operated in Finland already in the founding phase of the Finnish Association of Art Schools for Children and Young People. It celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The Association of Dance Institutes in Finland was founded the same year, 1982, as the Finnish Association of Art Schools for Children and Young People. During the past couple of years own associations have been founded also for other fields of art: handicraft, theatre, circus and literary art.

For the founders of art schools it was obvious that they should have their own association to develop their operation and supervise their interests. With its minor resources the association was able to concentrate on questions that concerned art schools in particular. The entire art school system needed to be planned from the beginning, naturally imitating well-functioning music institutes. The association has strongly participated in this task.

Since 2002 all background organisations providing basic education of art have operated in close co-operation and organise e.g. annual collective training days for teaching staff of different art forms. The oragnisations together present appeals related to financing to the Parliament and the Ministry of Education.

The largest associations (music, dance and art) have a strong own identity. Independent associations that have a tight co-operation among themselves have been found to work well in Finland. However, small associations (theatre, circus and literary art) may join together under one association of performing arts in future. The discussions have, nevertheless, still been preparatory.