The Arts for Education! symposium will address the fundamental importance of arts education for teaching and learning. Arts education means actively exploring art and culture. It builds character, enhances social behaviour, broadens horizons and creates perspectives. Arts education provides individuals – both in and outside schools – with access to key areas of social life, and is indispensable for people wishing to fully develop their personalities.

Arts for Education! will examine, on the one hand, the question of political and public responsibility for arts education in Europe. It analyses on the other, the different forms that arts education can take. A third focus will be on children and young people as the target group for arts education work and on their needs and wishes. In addition, Arts for Education! will seek answers to many as yet unresolved questions concerning the development and impact of arts education: Who is responsible for arts education? Where are the needs for political action? How can arts play a role in schools, the core domain of education? How would this affect everyday life and teaching in schools? Which specific qualities do artistic and aesthetic practice in the various art disciplines need to have in order to generate an effect? How are children and young people involved in arts education?

So as to talk not only about but also with young people, a youth summit will be taking place at the same time as the symposium, namely from 11 – 15 September 2010, at which 100 young people from 35 European countries will be meeting to discuss their expectations and wishes for arts education. Their questions and suggestions will be raised in the Arts for Education! symposium; the young people themselves, who after all know best what young people want, will be actively involved in panel discussions and forums.