In this paper we consider how recent taonga puoro noho marae wananga, in the Far North district of Aotearoa New Zealand, have much to offer the growth and development of bicultural relational engagement in arts education. The nga toi Maori authors highlight their aspirations, as leaders of recent hui wananga initiatives in Te Hiku o Te Ika (the…

This article investigated the multifaceted role of artists in educational programmes, focusing on the challenges they face while balancing their identity as artist-teacher, artist teacher, artist-educator, and artist educator. This research was conducted in two phases. Phase one interrogated the effectiveness of artists taking on dual roles as…

In 2021 Professor Papaarangi Reidi, at The University of Melbourne, shared the ancient proverb "I nga ra o mua", translated to mean "before we know where we are going, we must know where we have come from". This proverb sets the tone for discussing the Arts in the New Zealand curriculum, as during radical upheaval and social…

For arts practitioners and the creative community, the response to COVID has meant cancellations or postponements and a rethinking of how to share stories. The same too can be said for how students experience the arts in school. For two years in a row the biennial and much anticipated school production was cancelled due to COVID disruptions, not…

This paper reports on a small-scale research project that aimed to examine the impact of assessment changes to a second-year course called Tuhura Nga Toi Ahuatanga: Exploring the Role of the Expressive Arts in Education. This 30-credit course is part of a Bachelor of Education (Early childhood teaching) at a pre-service education provider in…

This article reports on a research that explored students' critical thinking in visual arts secondary education. The study was underpinned by an appraisal of the effects of the visual on students' lives and the importance for them to critically navigate these experiences. Aotearoa New Zealand's bicultural educational policies -- based on Maori and…

In 2018, the author embarked on Master of Education research to investigate how mature adults were affected by regular participation in visual art classes. Visual art education is reported to have a positive effect on the cognition of mature adults in various contexts (Schindler et al., 2017; Wali et al., 2001), so this research investigates…

This article discusses some implications of working supportively with art and design students who manage mental health conditions in a postgraduate environment in a New Zealand University. The paper begins with a discussion of contesting research that considers relationships between highly creative thinkers and certain mental health conditions. It…

Integrated STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) has been shown to effectively foster global competencies as well as school and societal engagement for 21st century learners of diverse backgrounds. However, facilitating quality STEAM teaching and learning can be challenging for teachers, particularly in the area…

This paper, a critical examination of educational concepts, policies and practices, presents findings from research into the impact of accountability agendas on teacher professionalism and pedagogic practices. The study, theoretically framed through Halstead's notions of contractual and responsive accountability, and Gramsci's hegemonic practices,…

This paper uses an arts-based learning encounter at a marae-based wananga as a starting point for exploring the potential of aesthetic inquiry to support dynamic and always evolving relationality between people and place. The work of two researchers, Maori writer and scholar Cassandra Barnett and Irish inter-cultural researcher Sharon Todd, is…

The New Zealand early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki, encourages teachers to intentionally implement learning experiences so children learn about and through the visual arts. Acknowledging the tensions between intentional teaching and play-based learning, teachers are urged to be neither hands-off nor very structured in designing visual arts…

The early childhood sector in New Zealand has a long-held tradition of free play and child-led pedagogy, influencing visual arts approaches with young children. However, alongside learning through play, New Zealand's sociocultural curriculum highlights the active role of the teacher and intentional pedagogy. This article explores the practices and…

When financial resources are scarce and uncertain, youth performance organisations find ways to 'hold it together': to carry on no matter what. Engaging critically with theories of organisational resilience, this article examines how two youth performance companies in Auckland experience and respond to a precarious funding environment. The local…

Pasifika students bring to school rich cultural resources that offer a strong foundation on which to build creative practice. Bringing cultural awareness to visual arts education provides a powerful platform for Pasifika students to embrace success as Pasifika. The recent introduction of "Tapasa--Cultural Competencies Framework for Teachers…