Art, Community and Environment: Educational Perspectives [Hardcover]

"I highly recommend both for teacher education and fine arts education classes in higher education." - Rita L. Irwin, Studies in Art Education "Art, Community and Environment: Educational Perspectives is a necessary addition to transformative art education libraries. No other book so richly brings together detailed descriptions and captivating images of community-based projects that exemplify the relationship between making environmental art, creating aesthetic experiences and embodying the essence of place. This relational space calls artists, community members, educators and learners to engage with the environment ethically, ecologically, and creatively. For editors Coutts and Jokela, community-based art practices are founded upon participation, engagement, collaboration and empowerment. Every chapter illustrates these notions by pursuing dialogical practices within community contexts and thus portrays how community art energizes a strong sense of agency among participants. Formal and informal art education contexts that pursue the goals laid out in this book will most certainly be transformative for all those involved." - Rita L. Irwin, The University of British Columbia "Timo Jokela and Glen Coutts have put together a welcome collection of essays outlining a rich and manifold picture of the educational and aesthetic aspects that come into play when artists and art educators take our built and living environment as their primary arena. What happens when the artist opens up to the environment's stream of consciousness, when he or she experiences and engages with the narratives infused in the landscapes and places that we are part of. These sorts of questions are reflected upon in this multifaceted and comprehensive compilation of essays on what and how we learn, as individuals and as part of a community, when we respond aesthetically to our living environment." - Pirkko Pohjakallio-Koskinen, University of Art & Design, Finland "Its main focus is the connection between artists and the environment, both in this country and abroad; this is reflected in not only in the text, but the pictures as well, some of which are beautiful and eye-catching...Anyone looking to use the book for reference can easily dip in and out of it." - Jodie Beecroft, www.artsjournal.co.uk "The breadth of topics here is impressive: Mark Dawes outlines modes of empowerment and questions of sustainability, whilst Maria Huhmarniemi explores the internet as a tool for community art projects." - Steve Hanson, Cultural Studies Lecturer at Hereford College of Arts "A valuable dissection of the issues concerning the interface of "public" and "community" art. It is an illuminating analysis of approaches and attitudes in such geographically distant locations, with such a wide range of educational experiences and artistic results. As a snapshot through current practice in this field, this is a very readable work, and for me strikes a balance between intellectual theorising and actually "doing" good public realm art projects." - Andy Scott, Sculptor

"Art, Community and Environment" investigates wide-ranging issues raised by the interaction between art practice, community participation, and the environment, both natural and urban. This volume gathers a distinguished group of artists, writers and academics contributors from the United States, Australia, and Europe to examine topics, such as urban art, community participation, local empowerment, and the problem of ownership.Featuring rich illustrations and informative case studies from around the world, "Art, Community and Environment" addresses the growing interest in this fascinating discipline. The contributors present examples from a range of countries and offer case studies of environmental and community arts practice that will be of interest to scholars, artists and educators alike. "Art, Community and Environment" addresses the growing international interest in educational environmental and community art, forming a vital new part of Intellect's "Readings in Art and Design Education" series.It brings together the viewpoints of experts, artists and academics. It includes illustrated examples from a range of countries. It presents cases studies of environmental and community arts practice.

Glen Coutts is a Reader in Art and Design Education in the Department of Sport, Culture and the Arts, Faculty of Education, University of Strathclyde. He is President-elect of NSEAD. He is also an elected member of the European and World Council of InSEA. Timo Jokela is Professor of Art Education in the Faculty of Art and Design at the University of Lapland and Head of the Department of Art Education. He also works as an environmental artist.