Hessel Nieuwelink, professor of Citizenship Education at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, kicked off the symposium with a keynote lecture. He briefly outlined what citizenship education entails and why it is necessary. “Essentially, education inherently involves citizenship education by setting rules. It is always formative.”

Citizenship education is also tied to democracy. "Democracy does not exist by itself, nor does it sustain itself. Students need to learn that democracy is essential for living freely and peacefully in our society." Citizenship encompasses a political domain, which deals with the rules we collectively agree upon, and a socio-cultural domain, which concerns how we, as individuals, relate to others.

"Ultimately, citizenship is a competence that includes knowledge and skills, values, and attitudes. It always involves dilemmas in social issues and how we view them."

Since 2006, citizenship education has been mandatory in primary and secondary education, with legally defined core objectives. In vocational education, citizenship is covered by law. “But the requirements are vague. They cover a broad range of topics without clear boundaries, leaving schools unsure of what to do.”

Nieuwelink shared that new legislation is being developed, likely to be passed in the Senate (Eerste Kamer) on June 8th. “This new law will place the democratic framework at the forefront. Students must have knowledge of and respect for democracy, and schools must demonstrate that they encourage this among their students. However, the guidelines remain broad.”

The principle behind citizenship education is that it should be accessible to everyone, and all teachers should be able to teach it, as it is not a separate subject. Science subjects are less suited to integrating citizenship, while subjects like geography, history, and social studies will focus more on knowledge. In subjects like literature, religious studies, and inclusive arts education, the emphasis is on imagination and understanding others' perspectives.

In practice, Nieuwelink observes that citizenship education tends to reinforce rather than counteract social divides. “For simplicity, I call it 'Rap vs. Rijks.' The stereotypes about vocational and secondary school students are not dispelled in education but persist. Secondary school students are seen as active and creative, while vocational students are viewed as chaotic, passive, and disinterested.”

"This stereotype of "I'm just a vocational student, I can't do that" is linked to the early selection process and tracking in Dutch education after primary school," Nieuwelink argues. As a result, citizenship education in vocational tracks is often focused on discipline, while in secondary schools, it emphasizes critical thinking.

"When it comes to field trips, secondary schools visit places like ProDemos, but vocational schools rarely, if ever, go there. In their pre-exam years, secondary schools travel to Rome, while vocational schools settle for a trip to Roompot."

Nieuwelink suggests that if teachers can bridge this gap, they make a significant step forward in citizenship education. It is crucial for all students to learn to understand different perspectives, to empathize with "the other," and to imagine alternative social structures, thereby broadening their worldviews.

Art teachers, Nieuwelink emphasizes, have the perfect tools for this: through drama, role-playing, viewing and creating art, reading and writing, and listening to and making music together. “And every time citizenship elements are present, they should be explicitly highlighted, with a discussion before and after. Learning is more than just doing; it’s also about reflecting on what you do, how you do it, and why you do it.”

After the keynote lecture, participants joined one of four interactive breakout sessions to delve deeper into the role of arts and cultural education in citizenship education. Reflection and discussion were essential components.

Irene Flapper and Larisa Cichy (Cultuur Oost) and Huub Braam (LKCA) presented their research on cultural education in vocational training. Where are the limitations, and what opportunities exist? They showcased two inspiring examples: Museum Arnhem, which co-created a project with ROC Rijn-IJssel for care facilities where social issues were discussed through art, and Theater AanZ, which produces interactive performances for groups who rarely visit the theater.

Hester Dibbits (Reinwardt Academy and Erasmus University Rotterdam) immersed her audience in the world of carnival. How do you perceive it—pleasant or unpleasant, strong or mild? An emotion network can help visualize this. Participants were introduced to this unique method, which can be used to reflect on heritage.

Melvin Crone (Breitner Academy Amsterdam) discussed how art can be a tool for transformative learning. This approach emphasizes a more conscious and critical way of learning, where participants—students and teachers alike—constantly question what, how, and why.

Nathalie Roos (Breitner Academy and AHK) demonstrated how art and activism can go hand in hand. How can current issues like climate change or Black Lives Matter be translated into an artwork? And how do you navigate the opinions that arise during the creative process, which are crucial to citizenship?

In the closing plenary, the session moderators briefly shared what had been discussed in their sessions. This sparked curiosity among participants about what they had missed. They unanimously agreed that the symposium was highly valuable. "When is the follow-up?" was the eager question.

Presentations

• Hessel Nieuwelink – Versterken burgerschapsonderwijs in kunst en cultuuronderwijs
• Braam, Flapper, Cichy – Cultuureducatie in het mbo: van visie naar praktijk
• Hester Dibbits – Emotienetwerken als methode voor burgerschapsonderwijs
• Melvin Crone – Transformatief beeldend kunstonderwijs
• Nathalie Roos – Dealing with the real stuff

Recommended Reading by Hessel Nieuwelink

Anouk Kootstra, ‘Een jas die past’
Karin Amatmoekrim, ‘Het gym’ (roman)
 

On Arts Education and Citizenship in Vocational Training

• Report: Kunsteducatie in het mbo: van en met elkaar leren. Wat is er voor nodig is om succesvol educatief aanbod te ontwikkelen voor mbo-studenten
• Zo loopt de mbo-student wél warm voor cultuur

On Emotion Networks

Cultuur+Educatie 55: Erfgoededucatie en de omgang met emoties

On Transformative Visual Arts Education

• Transformatief beeldend kunstonderwijs. Kunstonderwijs ter bevordering van persoonsvorming (Melvin Crone, 2021)
• Podcast episode: Melvin Crone in conversation with Aminata Cairo on Transformative Visual Arts Education

On Activism and Art Education

• Publication Dealing with the real stuff
• Podcast: Nathalie Roos discusses her research with Aminata Cairo