Abstract:

This article focusses on the development of an action-research study, led by the author as a teacher of a master’s course at the Leiria Polytechnic, Portugal. It discusses the project-based pedagogy built on the emancipatory learning approach of the curriculum unit Intervention and Artistic Education.

Key objectives of this unit include acquiring skills for exploring and systematising information on policies, spaces, strategies, areas, and intervention programmes within artistic education. This scope spans different territories and populations using diverse artistic languages.

The Place(s) of Women in Society and Art was a common interest of the eight students taking part in the study and defined a central objective for the project. From this, the possibility of a partnership with the Museu da Imagem em Movimento (m|i|mo museum) began to take shape. Indeed, this collaboration aimed at an artistic intervention project design based on re-readings (revisiting) of individually chosen artworks and had its genesis in the very relevant exhibition "Nós e os Outros" (We and the Others), which was on display in the museum.

Due to the possibility of students developing open-ended assignments, the teacher streamlined a combination of mediated museum visits and discussion of relevant articles in class. This not only placed a focus on collaborative creative processes, but also uncovered theoretical key concepts about art production, aesthetic education, gender, and power issues in art history.

The contents that emerged due to their choice-based decisions and creative processes confirmed the alignment to the curriculum. Influenced by project-based pedagogy dynamics, research data was gathered through documenting and assessing student’s individual productions and participations, autonomous and group work, written critical recensions and active learning, by choosing and leading presentations in a journal club type class.

The hall of the m|i|mo museum in Leiria was the setting for the display of the eight women student's artistic presentations including dance, performance, and visual arts. Through collaborative creation, emancipatory aspects of artistic and aesthetic education were confirmed. The local community was involved in the event, and this gave focus to the aimed participative and democratising project dimensions.

In addition, a reflection on insufficient accessibility to cultural/artistic contexts in most peripheral areas of the country, was also touched upon.

Finally, it is stated that the differentiated curriculum approaches can also be an instrument of emancipation. Considerations about the teachers´ and the museum's pedagogical role are discussed mostly within the scope of Jacques Rancière's philosophy.

Keywords:

Artistic education, project-based, collaborative intervention, creativity, critical-emancipatory curriculum, museum.