Art education and development cooperation: A project in educational centres for children with special needs in India

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine Art Education and Human Development, a development cooperation project carried out during the period 2015–2018 in Ananthapuramu, India and implemented between the University of Seville, Spain and the Fundación Vicente Ferrer (Vicente Ferrer Foundation) – Rural Development Trust (FVFRDT). Drawing on action research methods, the participants were children with disability and resident teachers, in accordance with the schools involved in the study. The aim of our work was to accomplish a set of art practices so as to develop empowerment and human values in order to offer an artistic and pedagogical training to the local teachers involved in the project. Broadly speaking, our results approach the notions of development cooperation and art education, understanding art education as a vehicle for emancipation and social transformation. Therefore, art education for development cooperation is comprehended as a process that encourages social inclusion, respect for diversity, education in values, cooperation and whole-person development. As a result, the experiences presented derive from a process of action research and favour the development of guidelines for possible good practices.