Outsider on the inside: Examining quality primary visual art education from an Artist’s perspective.

Abstract

Artists’ perspectives can offer insights untethered by the structures of the educational system. This study is an examination of contemporary artists’ perspective of quality visual art in primary school, through the programme of the Artists in Schools Scheme. The research is pursued in a phenomenological approach using a qualitative methodology. Through the method of semi-structured interviews and the process of thematic analysis, this partnership which aims to contemporise the visual arts curricula is explored from the position of the artist. Utilising the four lenses of quality established by Seidel, Tishman, Winner, Hetland and Palmer (2009), this research delves into the insights of Irish artists and their experience and process of implementing quality visual art provision. The outcome of this study evidenced thoughts of similarity in perspective, with an additional lens of quality to consider when trying to maintain excellence in art education. From an artist’s perspective, as an observer both inside and outside primary school walls, there is much to be deliberated from their insights and experiences in the classroom.