Infection, participation and informality in Arts Education: the case of the School of Arts (Porto)

Artistic education poses several specific challenges. The specificity of art in the contemporary age demands the development of unique strategies. Following a conceptual framework defined by Infection, Participation and Informality the School of Arts at Universidade Católica Portuguesa adopted since 2018 a strategy comprising a project-based methodology, informal tutoring sessions with artists, a Cultural Programme and an artistic residencies programme. This paper presents the early results of this strategy, and analyses how it could create a critical artistic practice of the students. Analysing in particular the Conference Programme Art & Ecology organized by the School of Arts proposes art as an important drive for the change of perspective and attitudes