Art and Integrated Curriculum

We are currently witnessing a renewed interest in integrated curriculum in both art education and in education in general. Integrated curriculum, not always with that name, has been a recurrent interest in American education since the late 19th century, though the circumstances in which it arises are each time different (Kliebard, 1995). One thread in what follows is that society has changed in such a way as to make integrated curriculum again a concern today. Simultaneously, I believe that the artworld and our general modes of communication have also changed in such a way as to make art potentially more central to the curriculum. In this chapter, I will review the literature on integrated curriculum in art education, seeking to articulate the vision that lies behind it. I hope the review suggests two things: for art educators, that an integrated approach might enhance the teaching of art; and for educators, in general, that art has a significant role to play in integrated curricula.