Within its new strategic alignment, arts education is one of three core areas of focus. The goal of this thematic cluster is to enrich and change the education system by anchoring the arts much more firmly in the core educational institutions. Through its commitment to the area of arts education, Stiftung Mercator also wishes to improve the quality of the artistic and aesthetic teaching on offer and to raise the importance of arts education processes for learning among all involved groups. Its dedication to arts education underlines the great social importance of education and cultural work that aims to encourage the creative independence of children and young people. Interaction between all social actors involved in arts education such as teachers, artists, and people working in the domain of culture are just as important as the focus on the international context. Stiftung Mercator is hosting the international Arts for Education! symposium which, with its multi-perspective orientation, supports these goals.

Stiftung Mercator is one of the largest private foundations in Germany. It pursues clearly defined reformist objectives in its thematic clusters of integration, climate change and arts education and it achieves these objectives with a combination of socio-political advocacy and practical work. Stiftung Mercator implements its own projects and supports external projects in its centres for science and humanities, education and international affairs. It takes an entrepreneurial, professional and international approach to its work.

For more information visit: www.stiftung-mercator.de