When thinking about quality visual art education what social, political or cultural factors, if any, do you consider are important to keep in mind?

"the need for advocay at the highest level that moves the discourse beyond feelings, self expression, visual literacy and social reconstruction as the purpose of art ed. len,"

"I think it is always important to consider how globalisation is building a never before experienced platform for connection and at the same time also eroding away some of the unique and indinvidual aspects of culture and arts practice. I think politically, there is some recognition as to the power of the arts and culture as a driver for economic and social growth but this is yet to filter down into funding opportunties and expanded curriculum offerings."

"Personal, religious, community, cultural and even historical factors influence my topic choices. Events like Long Tan memorial day when students from all levels made flowers to place on a wreath, extend students thinking and experience."

"I am aware of the diversity of students in any context and try to respond to their needs via a personalised response"

"The relationship between the arts industry and art education. Practising artists as teachers (including art historians, curators and art critics)"

"The social, political and cultural factors shape what is produced at the time. It is vitally important that students learn this so they can understand how and why art work is produced."

"Connections to their local community; awareness of artists and art styles and the role of art in differnt contexts; individual abilities and experiences;"

"inclusive and intercultural content"

"All of those factors influence and inspire the arts and therefor need to be kept in mind, especially taking into account the social, political and cultural views of the students."

"in relation to social, political and cultural factors it is about the ways in which visual artists embed their ideologies through their work. I also believe that art can be used to express opinions and beliefs for advocacy and activism."

"Social context, students own environments"

"At the moment I cannot think of any constraints other than financial and the will to do so."

"See previous answer."

"all of the factors that are important to the artist who has made the work and how they relate (or don't relate) to the current learning environment of the students is important"

"Acknowledging each student's lived cultural experience is part of every introductory lesson. Affirming personal life experience and cultural affiliations is an explicit part of my teaching."

"That aestheics of all cultures differ in art. Students must learn that art they may personally dislike like has merit, and should be treated with respect."

"Indigenous Australian Art. Responding to local environment. We engage in local gov art initiative such as Street Art and Refugee Week Art Comp."

"The AITSL Graduate Standards/ the ACARA Australian Curriculum The Arts/ The WA P-10 Arts Syllabus – provide one pressure force. By contrast there are also the pressures of community expectations/NAPLAN testing/ DOE focus policies.g"

"i think it's important to think about access for all students, and to take into account their socio economic status, to ensure everyone can take part. But also, to employ eductators and artists from lots of cultural backgrounds."

"Respect for the arts and creativity."

"Brilliant questions but running out of time, there are so many things to discuss here - in brief - innovation policy, education department focus policies, social and cultural change, and the whole discussion about what skills do our students need for their changing world to to."

"Open mindedness."

"Exposure to cultural diversity is important, an awareness of social and political issues and their impact on individuals as well as society."

"our perceptions of art are often a reflection of the times in which we live"

"An awareness of societal, communal and individual impacts depending on the inquiry are essential."

"I consider the social scope that the students are situated in, as well as students from different cultural backgrounds that are going through difficulty"

"The current economic situation Australia is facing and the views of our current Political parties don't exactly favour Art Education, in my personal view. Keeping visual art education creative, tactile, expressive and most importantly funded are important areas to keep in mind."

"We have a wide cultural student base, I call it my United Nations in one room. So culture is a consideration in the tasks we tackle. Political comment is not considered as I teach middle school. Social issues can be included in the works and skills that are being explored in the curriculum."

"Our social, political and cultural climate should be explored and reflected in the visual responses of student work - we should be encouraging students to question and to respond to what they see and hear without sanitising it"

"Culturally inclusive"

"Inclusive, non-judgemental, thoughtful, peace-building"

"They are all intrinsic to Visual Arts making and responding and should be fostered as a part of the whole experience and learning program"

"The unequal treatment of all the key learning areas, with the Arts still regulated to the bottom sadly. The emphasis for our politicians are still concentrating only on data and literacy and numeracy results, which is a very outdated mode of thinking."

"I think it is important to consider that art is social, cultural and political and that it offers a tool for exploring ourselves, however, sometimes art confuses people and rather than extending their thoughts, feelings and perceptions, shuts them down because they don't know how to respond to artworks, or engage with art making themselves, maybe because their schooling experiences have not been all that positive in this area. Wouldn't it be nice if when the politicians call for 'back to the basics' in education, this meant art."

"The low socio-economic profile of a school or students doesn't mean students are necessarily low achievers in art."

"Politics is always a factor as it impacts how much funding is available for visual arts and arts education. I think the social factor is also important, as lower socioeconomic students often have less opportunities to participate in the arts."

"How art has been affected by all these factors through time and depending on where the artists live. How we are effected by these factors when we make art."

"social - socio-economic factors can be significant inhibitors for schools in different contexts (both in terms of school resources, but also the capacity to leave school and visit cultural sites). cultural and political - the quality of your educators - whilst many recent graduates are engaged, creative and often, makers themselves, a by-product of the education system's current pay scale system, means that there are also, many educators who are not engaged in the sector anymore, and who are waiting for their retirement. This means that their methods are not always reliable, but more importantly, that they are not instilling into their students the capacity to be creative, resourceful, flexible, and to embrace new ideas. This is a reflection on the current pay system in Victoria, in which time in the system is rewarded, rather than what you are doing on a daily basis. This is caused both by the culture of the old system, but also the politics of the government wage system."

"As above - we must deliver a social justice imperative, cultural studies aspects, creativity taught explicitly and an awareness and understanding of aesthetics; and a practicing criticality. But also, art teachers must be politically aware advocates for their subject"

"collaborative, cooperative, inclusivity, qualitative measures (rather than quantitative), accessibility, adequate funding"

"Environmental issues are a high priority. We live in an area of immense beauty and which can supply endless inspiration for artmaking"

"Cultural context, reconnecting to country through story telling and art."

"References to Australian artists, both past and present, with a strong focus on women and indigenous artists."

"That k-12 experience understand their own visual cultural development beginning from their local environment visual art history and development and artists especially their local indigenous and colonial visual arts through to an increasing widening experience of other cultures as the students rise t through the grade levels."

"I consider it vital to be discussing and experiencing Aboriginal art practices and culture.Through an understanding of the value of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and issues, there will be opportunities for reconciliation."

"Connecting art projects to the immediate community and encouraging awareness of and challenge to the dominant discourse."

"that people do not realise the value of Va in creating identity and culture and connection among other things. We always need to be advocates to the arts as the great benefits to society and individuals is not well understood or fashionable"

"Our current ultra conservative political agenda is not conducive to supporting programs that enable visual art education to deliver on its potential, nor does it support visual art educators to invest in their capacity to achieve this."

"all of these are vital...historical, theoretical contexts are all important...the past, present and future...all contexts of politics, power, justice, equality, sexuality, environmental, and documentary...rich truth."

"Students at any age should be aware of the power of the visual arts to be the voice - or the visual reflection of a generation, in any of the above factors. Any art activity should be initiated with discussion about artists and artworks. Preferably with a theme in mind - and then look at the ways that different artsits have explored that theme. I have always found this to be the best way. Then the students interpret the theme their own way."

"Yes, there are cyclical public financial pressures. But if people allocate time to the most important parts, culture will still continue to evolve. I take a whole of life approach, more and more art is generate/consumed outside the classroom, both daily/weekly/lifelong."

"I think that all of the above factors need to be kept in mind and used as a faremeowrk and startegy for the developemtn of students understanding. It has been very educational for me to see the impact of recent conferences discussing the place and understanding of colelctions of Aboriginal materials by the Colonial peopes and how these have toally differnte meanings for their makers and original owners and how they were re constructed and given stories by their collectors."

"Adequate funding for the arts so students can see a dynamic interesting art scene in evidnece in the community"

"Teaching sustainability through creative reuse and respect in diversity through collaborative projects."

"We need to teach the history and encourage the future"

"getting students to think about issues relevant to them in these areas and use visual art to express their opinions or viewpoints to others"

"All"

"All of them are addressed in The Arts. That is why it is such a great subject."

"diversity of student context and and understanding. Cultural context and te relevance of learnings to the contemporary world"

"Politcially the STEAM argument is harmful to Visual Arts, often surface level arts undertaken. Socailly arts is "liked" but usually misunderstood. Culturally arts is a field that people either love or hate. Often competing against the STEM argument and sports."

"In a visual art education it is important to understand the aspirations of the community in which you teach for example in a more afluent community the abilty of visual arts to provide pathways into higher education or relevance in future carrers, even if the career has nothing to do with the visual arts"

"Unfortunately I am feeling disillusioned by Education in Australia as a whole right now. I think Visual Arts has a real opportunity to assist students in reaching their potential as creative, innovative and empathetic thinkers. However, our whole culture (educational, political and social) seems to have an obsession with testing, box-ticking and a one-size-fits-all approach to education. Unfortunately, I think that until politicians take note of what is happening in places like Finland, we will continue to produce anxious and narrow-minded students. Even in teaching Visual Arts I feel as though I am no longer trusted to teach my students effectively and that I spend an inordinate amount of time 'proving' that I am doing all the right things, when I could actually be spending that time researching and planning amazing lessons for my students."

"All of these factors has always influenced art."

"that we live in an ever increasing diverse world and need to practice tollerance and understanding. That art can communicate and create bridges where words often fail."

"BOSTES requirements for assessment"

"inclusion"

"To have free expression"

"That the Arts are a living breathing part of life and a means of expression equal to others ways of thinking i.e. scientific thought. Their place in society is valuable and necessary."