Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
Gov't to mark 15th UNESCO arts education week with forums, symposium
A promotional poster for the 15th anniversary of UNESCO World Arts Education Week / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
By Jhoo Dong-chan
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, alongside the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service (KACES), launched a two-week series of events Tuesday to mark the 15th anniversary of UNESCO World Arts Education Week.
Running through May 31, the program aims to critically examine the trajectory of arts education over the last two decades and chart a path forward that reclaims its intrinsic worth.
The initiative opened at KACES with a forum titled "Diagnosing the Current State of Arts Education." Synthesizing findings from six previous roundtables that engaged roughly 120 researchers, artists and administrators, the panel sought to pivot the conversation away from viewing the arts merely as a utilitarian tool for policy goals like job creation or social integration. Instead, speakers urged a return to the foundational values of the discipline.
The intellectual centerpiece of the week is an international symposium scheduled for Thursday at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, which will focus on quantifying the social and psychological impact of the arts. The event, which will stream live on the KACES YouTube channel, features a global lineup of academics and policymakers.
Initial sessions will include perspectives from Anne Bamford of the University of Sydney and Susanne Keuchel of Europe's Genshagen Foundation. Later panels will delve into more granular, empirical research: Kim Bung-nyun of Seoul National University will present on neuroscience-based outcomes, Daniel Bowen of Texas A&M University will discuss academic and emotional metrics and Valeria Pica of Italy's Universita degli Studi "Gabriele d'Annunzio" will introduce methodologies for measuring economic value.
The remainder of the two-week program features a diverse slate of national initiatives, including an official development assistance sharing session, specialized lectures for youth educators and a humanities-based "healing camp" aimed at digital addiction. The schedule also includes children's workshops at the National Hangeul Museum and a nationwide series of open classes culminating in a concert by the Dream Orchestra.
"This week is a meaningful occasion to take stock of where arts education in Korea stands today," a culture ministry official said in a statement, adding that the government intends to foster a "sustainable environment" that extends the reach of cultural education deeper into everyday society.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.