A BACKPACK (full of) CULTURE

Art and Culture in kindergartens and schools
2013 Pilot programme
2013 – 2020 Development programme
 






 presentation .pptx

A Backpack (full of) culture is part of the Government policy for kindergartens, elementary and high schools, meaning that the beneficiaries of this programme are three-year old children and pupils from 6 to 18 years of age. The programme is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia and a joint investment by the area of education and the area of culture at state level.

A Backpack (full of) culture is a national complementary programme of support to the elementary and high school curriculum related to art and culture which will be implemented in Croatian schools by experts (writers, fine artists as well as theatre, music and dance artists).

The programme provides children and youth with access and brings them closer to art and culture, develops their aesthetic culture and in general makes children and youth sensitive to the field of art and culture. The pupils will be trained for a positive approach to all types of art and culture.

In its development the project will be adapted to the needs of counties and local self-government units while the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports will give basic recommendations as to the programme implementation.
 
Organisational model:
The programme is based on cooperation at national, regional and local level.
Partnership between two political sectors/two ministries is novelty in itself.
The programme provides the pupils with the possibility of familiarising themselves with artistic and cultural works/expression of high quality and professional standards, covering the broad area of the following:
  • Performing arts (theatre, dance)
  • Fine arts
  • Film arts
  • Music art
  • Literature
  • Cultural heritage
The specificity of the Backpack is in the cooperation with Art academies and Art Academy students that will take part to the workshops for children and youth with the programmes they have created in cooperation with their professors. Given their age, students can develop a good rapport with children and youth and can be motivators and the ones who will make children and youth sensitive to the field of art and culture and a positive approach to all types of art and culture.
A Backpack (full of) culture is a joint investment by the area of education and the area of culture at national and local level involving all counties and municipalities.
 
THE PROGRAMME AIMS AT:
  • Making possible for children and youth in kindergartens and elementary and high schools to participate in cultural programmes conducted by professionals
  • Enabling availability of access to the broad field of cultural expressions and the possibility of development and understanding of culture in all its forms
  • Assisting kindergartens and schools in engaging into various forms of cultural programmes.
A Backpack (full of) culture will be developed continuously and evaluated based on the following principles:

PERMANENCE (constancy, sustainability) of the PROGRAMME:
A Backpack (full of) culture will be a constant programme for children and pupils.

PROGRAMME FOR PUPILS:
A Backpack (full of) culture is intended for children and pupils regardless of their social or economic status, ethnic or religious affiliation and type of kindergarten or school they attend.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES:
The content must be aligned with the objectives of the national curriculum, including its specific areas.

HIGH LEVEL:
The art and culture programme offers children and pupils a high level of artistic quality and professional standards.

PROGRAMME AUTHORS AND IMPLEMENTORS:
Experts/professionals in various artistic practices (writers, fine artists, theatre, music, dance, film and other artists, as well as art academy students).

DIVERSITY:
A Backpack (full of) culture includes various forms of artistic and cultural expression from various cultural and historical periods.

PROGRAMME COMPREHENSIVENESS:
Music, theatre, visual and reproductive/performing arts, film, literature and cultural heritage; they all need to be included in the programme and presented in all the forms.

REGULARITY OF PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION:
The programme must be implemented regularly in each class and each school year.

CULTURE – SCHOOL COOPERATION:
The schools and the cultural sector at all levels must cooperate closely on the Backpack (full of) culture. Schools must be included in the programmes and must be given a plan of foreseen activities.

„DIVISION OF ROLES“:
Between the schools and the cultural sector.

LOCAL LEVEL RESPONSIBILITY AND INVOLVEMENT:
Individual school responsibility, responsibility of the counties and municipalities included in the programme to strengthen the sense of inclusion of all parties and enable local variants of the Backpack (full of) culture.

A Backpack (full of) culture is financed by the state budget. 

In the first phase the Backpack is intended for kindergartens and schools further away from city centres to which culture and art programmes are less accessible.