Arts and Cultural Education in Iceland : Professor Anne Bamford

music sector could be less constrained by curriculum and timetables, have more expertise and
smaller class sizes and so may be better resourced to engage in more cutting edge practice and
risk taking. But the observations conducted in this research would suggest that in the majority of
case the opposite is true.
Risk taking seemed to be most prevalent in the small, voluntary and independent arts and
cultural sector. Major cultural agencies reported that in the last year they had become less
‘risky’ as they were increasingly having to fully economic cost their offerings so ‘safe’ options
were seen to be better than more experimental work that may not produce a cash surplus.
3.6 Flexible organizational structures and permeable boundaries
‣ Schools and cultural institutions have developed innovative ways to encourage more
permeable boundaries around their organisations and more flexibility within the
organisation
‣ Music Schools should consider becoming more flexible in response to societal and
economic changes
In general it was acknowledged that the arts provided a valuable opportunity for pupils to go
beyond their direct environment and to be more creative and to expand their horizons. In a
number of examples visited, the presence of greater involvement of parents and the community
had meant that the school had taken on a fuller life within the town and was being recognised
for its innovative practice.
Conversely, in the after school provisions the general aim appeared to be to make the pupils
skilled in the status quo and so did not provide opportunities for creative expression or risk
taking. It could be argued, though, that specialist settings did encourage pupils to progress
beyond the perceived scope of their personal skills or talents. This was certainly true in some
instances, but also as there was a very high drop out rate in these settings, it appeared that
many pupils left just at the point where their personal art making might be stretched, extended
or challenged. This was particularly the case in music, where the enforcement of music theory or
the lack of skilled teachers led to high drop out rates in early adolescence.
Quality arts programmes flourish in situations where there is scope for organizational
flexibility. In several schools visited there was a strong sense of connectivity. This was used as a
strategy to enhance learning and to achieve multiple aims through the same input. In a general
sense, Icelandic schools are very open. As members of a research team it was relatively easy to
gain access to schools and we were greeted with genuine warmth and given access to teachers
and classrooms. Similarly, parents are generally very welcome, though mainly as audience
members during special performances. Children are given considerable respect and freedom and
the children appear responsible and confident.
While internationally schools historically are not known for their flexibility and adaptability,
it has to be said that the same criticism could be levelled at galleries, museums and cultural
institutions. As the tradition of many of these is from an elitist history and a position of privilege
within society, it is not surprising that people working to make these intuitions more flexible face
a challenge.
This criticism was particularly levelled at music schools. These music schools have a long and
illustrious history in Iceland and are highly valued by all levels of society. Yet such history has
been generally built on tradition more than adaptability. As society and education changes, the
challenge is for the music school sector to respond to these changes in a reflective way. There
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