There is growing evidence for the impact of arts engagement on later life cognition. However, confounding by socioeconomic factors may have led to an overestimation of this association. We analyzed data from 4,344 older adults in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. We measured participatory (e.g. painting, making music, crafts) and receptive (e.g.…

In living history museums, where young people work and volunteer as historically dressed interpreters, participate in field trips, and attend summer camps, young people can simultaneously represent the past, the present and the future. In these spaces, they also shape the past through their questions, their retellings, and their reimaginings based…

Following a unique practice and research laboratory entitled "Performance: Site/Self" that took place in 2013-2015, this article discusses the implementation of performance art at an academic site--the Tel Aviv University campus. This pedagogical and artistic initiative, characterised by the transgressive pedagogy of performance art…

'Why study the arts at school?' This book offers a fresh perspective on this question. Informed by rigorous research, the book argues that the arts help young people to develop key skills, knowledge and practices that support them to become both critical appreciative audiences and socially engaged cultural producers. Drawing on a three-year study…

This article explores the use of an interactive mnemonic device called a "Map of Memories" to navigate the museum theater production "Our Footprints," staged in 2017 in the Bergtheil Museum in Durban, South Africa. The Map is an interactive tool used by audience members to explore the exhibits and the performance through…

This article proposes that participatory museum theatre can provide a platform through which learners studying history can engage a troubled past, specifically looking at South African history, to generate a more complex understanding of it. Through the use of performance, object-work, and creative arts-based responses, such as poetry and drawing,…

Despite a diverse and vibrant contemporary artistic scene, East Africa sees less international exposure than other regions on the continent; this article argues that a new approach to understanding the complexities and value of performance in the region is fundamental to developing the sector. East African Soul Train is a pop-up residency, which…

This article responds to Olof Franck's vision of a less didactic and more creative approach to Education for Sustainable Development. We consider how a multidisciplinary applied theatre project, bringing together Earth Sciences, Ancient Rock Art, storytelling, digital technology, and drama education knowledges and techniques can foster a more…

The cultural domain may be defined as a sphere of influence that involves all cultural activities, whether economic or social in nature. In the context of lifelong learning, cultural and artistic environments represent tools and media of significance for formal and informal adult learning. The availability of learning opportunities in the cultural…

In 2017, inspiration from the performing arts catalyzed the transition to more guest-centered gallery teaching at The Dayton Art Institute. To initiate this shift we hired three performing artists to lead training sessions for teaching in the galleries to illustrate that interactive strategies create livelier experiences for museum guests.…

This article is dedicated to an underdeveloped, but a highly relevant aspect of work of museums, first of all, the theatrical ones, namely keeping, studying and promoting the works associated with choreographic heritage. The artistic and aesthetic potential of material and visual exhibits related to the ballet theatre is revealed. All the…

Equal educational opportunity involves learning to respond to the challenges of life with creativity and integrity. Conflict, at internal, interpersonal, and political levels, is a key challenge that formal learning processes have done little to help people navigate. This reduces students' efficacy in their personal lives and limits their capacity…

This review of the permanent exhibition of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva focuses on its representations of extreme forms of violence as well as humanitarian struggles against these. The article pays close attention to the role that theatre and performance plays in the construction of the museum as a space in which…

This book explores learning in the arts and highlights ways in which art and creativity can ignite learning in schools, informal learning spaces, and higher education. The focus is on learning in, with, and through the arts. Written from a range of international perspectives, "Multidisciplinary Approaches to Art Learning and Creativity"…

In recent years, museums have recognized the urgent need to address several challenging issues. These topics include gender equality, racism, and environmental issues, just to name a few. As museums embrace the role of community-building change-makers, how can we include our audiences in the mission of making positive change? How can our…