Art Education – or preferably Art Mediation – today is a vibrant field. Throughout the whole of the visual arts sector one can observe a proliferation of education based practices. Old methods and prejudices are being cast aside, sparking a strong debate on the role and function of education in exhibition settings. Education, in the broadest sense of the word, is not an additional programme for Manifesta; it touches the core of what Manifesta is. Manifesta is not intended strictly as a biennale exhibition – rather it is conceptualised as a fairly open structure with a goal to create a meaningful long term cultural dialogue and to build strong links between both European and international artists and art audiences. Manifesta wants to act as an aggregator for this kind of exchange of knowledge, between professionals and the general audience alike.
Art Mediation – Manifesta Biennial
Our Art Mediation programme is a significant part of each Manifesta Biennial. Within the Manifesta biennial framework the role of education is not only to be defined in an affirmative relation towards Manifesta’s artistic vision and offerings. Rather it seeks to realize a discursive space in order to enable every individual visitor and participant to experience and interact with this vision and it’s context. In order to realize such opportunities for engagement further resources are needed. These resources should be made available in a personalized way, for no two people have the same needs. To put it in another way: education should not be geared towards the supplying of ready-made cultural chunks of information but should focus on the inherent ability of people to ask questions, questions to oneself and questions to each other.
Manifesta Workbook – Professional Development
The Manifesta Workbook is a a free, print-on-demand art mediation publication by art educators for art educators.The Workbook is organised as an expanding collection of non-linear, separately downloadable chapters. Each of these chapters addresses a topical subject in the field of art mediation and includes a hands-on assignment. This provides you with a platform for discussion, including inspirational ideas for developing art mediation projects and practical guidelines how to put developed skills and knowledge into practice.
With the Workbook Manifesta hopes to create a growing platform for the development and exchange of methods for art mediation. As such Manifesta will open up the platform by inviting guest contributions by our colleagues working at other biennials, museums or in other art mediation contexts. You can find the Workbook here : www.manifestaworkbook.org
Art Schools – Network Program
As part of our network program Manifesta Foundation collaborates with various arts schools. The program sets out to actively involve art students in some of the ongoing discussions concerning Manifesta and the development of the Manifesta Biennials. It provides a forum to further research on key themes surrounding Manifesta’s projects, Art Education in general and to look at various topical issues in a fresh context.