Sustainability and the Creative Arts

Abstract

The power of the Arts in promoting education for sustainability (EfS) lies in the affective nature of children's learning when they are engaged in artistic pursuits. As noted in Chapter 1, research shows that having knowledge is not sufficient to create behavioural change. Also needed are an awareness of our connections with and in the world and an attitude of caring (Fien, 2003). Sustainable living is a disposition that can be communicated and understood through engagement of the affective in an artistic or creative project. Teaching through the Arts links the emotional to the cognitive; it engages the heart as well as the mind and provides opportunities for children to explore issues, solve problems, collaborate and develop their ideas through creative experiences.