"We met; we shared ideas. We drove together on long, grey tarmac roads through white landscapes of snow. We gathered in lecture halls and opened the windows to let the Arctic light stream. We traversed deep snow at the foot of the Quassussuaq mountain; we curated exhibitions, conversed and laughed together— artists, researchers, educators and youth—all united in a spirit of creativity. Together, we ran along the frozen river in Karasjok, twilight casting a magical glow as we celebrated the river, the sky and our unity and our shared visions in the fading light of the day and the soft coming of the Arctic night. We revelled in the act of creation, shaping our northern world collectively and using art as our beacon for a sustainable future." This is how Timo Jokela, Annamari Manninen and Peter Berliner describe their experiences on the New Genre Art Education in the Arctic (AEA) project.
Arctic Art Education (AAE) was a development project done in collaboration among the Arctic University’s Thematic Networks – Arctic Sustainable Art and Design (ASAD) and Children of the Arctic. The project was funded by the Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education, represented by the University of the Arctic (UArctic). The project period was from September 1st, 2022, to November 30, 2024.
This project was planned to foster decolonisation, social resilience and sustainability through art-based local involvements and educational practices. Supported by art-based action research, participants demonstrated how artists and art educators can work together with communities to revitalise cultures. The project broadened the understanding of living in the Arctic sociocultural landscapes by utilising transdisciplinary and culturally diverse approaches. Collaboration among participants in seminars and workshops was central to the project’s values. To reduce barriers such as linguistic, cultural and participatory challenges, a hybrid implementation was used, ensuring openness and accessibility for students from diverse backgrounds and fields of study.
One of the main results of the project is a book that conceptualises and clarifies AEA ‘s essence and describes the richness of the methods: “Mapping the New Genre Arctic Art Education”.The book includes conceptual and practical steps of AEA based on a review of new genre arctic art and art education activities and 23 visual essays that present snapshots of what was done during the project period and how artists, art educators, researchers and students have, through their contributions, applied and developed AAE. These visual essays highlight different mediums and methods of contemporary art, including digital possibilities for creating AAE individually, in collaboration with others or community settings. The third part of the book summarises the results of the AEA project. The project was monitored, reflected upon and evaluated during the process using art-based action research methods. The core results and learning outcomes are presented in this publication to support their implementation and integration into the curricula of participating universities as well as joint education of UArctic.
Timo Jokela, Annamari Manninen and Peter Berliner conclude: "The project has been a wondrous journey for all of us. A journey of creating art together and, through that, artfully creating a supportive, inspiring and joyful collaboration. It has been, and will continue to be, an experience of applying art to convey a profound understanding of our shared life in the Arctic and to join in building an overarching and embracing Arctic culture of environmental and social justice, respect for diversity, and peaceful coexistence. We have experienced that in every moment of the project – and we hope that this book transmits that sensation to you and to everyone who reads it."
More information: Jokela, T., Manninen, A. & Berliner, P. (Eds.) (2024). Mapping the new genre Arctic art education. University of Lapland. https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-337-457-7