Art in School

Extract from Hansard

Legislative Council
17 May 2001

Sandra Kanck
Deputy Leader Australian Democrats
Member of the Legislative Council

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The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: I seek leave to make an explanation before asking the Minister for the Arts a question about the teaching of art in primary schools.

The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: The Champions of Change organisation in the United States has undertaken a survey which demonstrates that there is a positive correlation between studying the arts and the general academic performance of students. Also, Professor James Catterall of the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies analysed the results of 25 000 students and found that those with high levels of arts participation outperform `arts-poor' students on virtually every measure. He found the correlation is particularly strong between music and the successful study of mathematics.

However, in South Australia, in our primary schools the teaching of art is marginalised. There is little or no specialist teaching of the arts in many primary schools throughout South Australia and some schools do not have a dedicated artroom. Some students rarely get the opportunity to put paint on paper, play a musical instrument or appear in a pantomime. Given the outcome of the studies in the United States, there seems to be something to be learnt from this for South Australia. My questions are:

1. Is the minister concerned about the level and quality of the teaching of art in primary schools in South Australia?

2. Will she discuss this matter with the Minister for Education, obtain information from him about the extent of art teaching in South Australian primary schools and provide that information to the parliament?

The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW (Minister for the Arts): This is not a dorothy dixer question, but I certainly welcome it and it is a matter about which I feel very passionate. I have approached the Minister for Education and he has supported the joint initiative that is now well advanced between education and arts for the first South Australian strategy on education and the arts throughout the education system from primary school to the tertiary sector.

I have strong support for advancing this cause from Mr Spring, the CEO of the Department of Education, Training and Employment. He is a welcome asset to Adelaide in respect of this cause and possibly many others, but this is the one with which I deal with him most directly. I am strongly of the view-as, I know, are others- that we should see as much emphasis on arts education in our schools as we do on sport generally.

I have no doubt that, because South Australia has a much smaller population compared with that of our regional neighbours, having a higher focus on the arts across all ages will give us a competitive edge not only in maths and other areas of learning, as the honourable member has said, but also in the new technologies and the creativity that the arts gives to individuals in their own lives and the jobs that they do generally. There is no doubt that, through the arts, people have more in their lives even if they do not have paid employment, whether or not that be by choice.

This week, I announced the appointment of Cate Fowler, the Creative Producer of the first National Children's Performing Arts Company, which will be based in Adelaide. Feedback on that appointment received this week has been phenomenal. So, the government is certainly investing in children through the arts. We need to see more investment in arts education for children.