Arts and Cultural Education at School in Europe. Sweden 2007/08

Overview & Synopsis

The Ministry of Education and Research in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture are responsible for setting the aims for the cultural and creative dimensions of education. Decisions about the creation of the curriculum related to culture and creativity within education are made on central level as well as the creation of the arts curriculum. Decisions about the implementation of the arts curriculum are made on school level. Swedish arts curriculum includes a combination of integrated and separated subjects. The following art subjects make part of the curriculum: (1) Music; (2) Crafts (i.e. Textiles and Wood- and metalwork); (3) Arts; (4) Dance (integrated as a component in the subject called "Physical education and health"); and (5) Drama (integrated as a component in the subject Swedish). This paper contains the following sections: (1) Responsibility and purpose; (2) Organisation and aims of arts education; (3) Special provision with a focus on art education; (4) Assessment of pupils' progress and monitoring of standards in the arts; (5) Teacher education in the arts; (6) Initiatives; (7) Ongoing reforms and proposals; and (8) Existing national surveys and reports on practices. (Contains 1 footnote.)