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The first ever interdisciplinary art and music conference in the Czech Republic was organized by the Departments of Music and Art Education and Culture of the Faculty of Education of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (FPE UWB) in cooperation with the Departments of Art and Music Education of the Faculty of Education of Charles University in Prague.

The main theme of the conference was the revision of the Framework Educational Programme for Primary Education (RVP ZV) in the field of Art and Culture. In the framework, the field of Art Education was merged with Film and Audiovisual Education, and the field of Music Education with Drama and Dance and Movement Education. Many teachers and professionals are against the planned changes. For example, they are concerned that the new courses will take up a significant part of the time allocated to existing subjects. "This event is a platform for a real professional dialogue about the art education curriculum, the real possibilities of the Czech education system and the necessity to convey the basics of art and music education to primary school pupils," described Věra Uhl Skřivanová, head of the Department of Art Education and Culture at the FPE UWB.

The conference thus emphasized the need to preserve the basic disciplines and the possibility of integrating other arts education. "We perceive that the dialogue on the subject has unfortunately not been conducted with experts from the fields of art and music education since the beginning of the revision. That is why 14 experts from various universities and schools have withdrawn from the working groups of the National Institute of Education," the head of the department added.

The organisers also emphasised interdisciplinary cooperation and the inclusion of other arts education in the curriculum. "Last but not least, the issue of art education was also presented in an international comparison, because the planned changes in our country are unparalleled in the world," concluded Věra Uhl Skřivanová.

On Friday 1 November, when the conference took place, 80 performers and 200 participants filled the premises in Veleslavínova and Klatovská Street in Pilsen. The main discussion was enriched by a cultural programme. There were performances by students of music departments, the children's choir Jiřičky, a happening by Professor Kurt Gebauer, several exhibitions and performances by students of art departments. The papers of the conference participants from all over the Czech Republic and abroad will be published in a professional monograph. The conference entitled Let's Learn to Look and Sing was dedicated to the founder of art comparatistics, doc. Jaroslav Bláha. You can look back at the detailed programme here.

Photo: Kurt Gebauer and Stanislav Poláček