This article is structured around four questions related to the arts, language and intercultural education. Are the claims for the value of the arts over-stated? Does the use of the arts in the service of non-art outcomes run the risk of distorting the art form itself? Is there a danger that incorporating the arts in language education will distract from its central purpose? Are there any risks in employing the arts to support the teaching of interculturalism? These questions are used as a focus for discussing theoretical perspectives in the arts, including justifying the arts, theories of art, the importance of form, the concept of 'aesthetic experience', 'learning in' and 'learning through' the arts. These issues are examined in order to illuminate practical implications related to the use of the arts in the context of language and intercultural education. The article highlights the way in which theoretical perspectives can help widen pedagogic horizons.