Global Arts and Cultural Education Community Unite: International Arts Education Week 2020


Beginning in 2012, International Arts Education Week aims at increasing the international community’s awareness on the importance of arts education and at reinforcing its co-operation by promoting cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue, and social cohesion.  

This year, the World Alliance for Arts Education and its members - International Drama/Theatre Education Association (IDEA), International Society for Education through ART (InSEA), International Society for Music Education (ISME), and World Dance Alliance (WDA) - joins UNESCO in celebrating the week alongside the global arts education community to acknowledge the important role arts education plays in the lives of children and youth, families, and communities during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.​

The History

Following the success of the Second World Conference on Arts Education (Seoul, 2010), the UNESCO’s General Conference at its 36th session in 2011 proclaimed the fourth week of May as International Arts Education Week. The International Arts Education Week aims at increasing the international community’s awareness on the importance of arts education and at reinforcing its co-operation by promoting cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and social cohesion.

​On 23 May 2012 Irina Bokova, Director General, United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO), launched the inaugural International Arts Education Week at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. Attended by leading international arts education scholars and practitioners, this high profile celebration  drew attention to the role arts education plays in a global agenda of peace and cultural understanding- The International Arts Education Week was unanimously endorsed by UNESCO’s 182 member states at its November 2011 General Conference (Item 5.13, recalling 35 C/ Resolution 40: On the promotion of arts education).

Celebrating in 2020

Individuals and organizations around the world are invited to participate in the global celebration of arts education in three simple ways:

  1. Celebrate! Join the #ArtsEdWeek celebration on social media through Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook to share stories of how #ArtsUnitesUs during these challenging times.

  2. Learn Together. Participate in the series of online learning opportunities hosted by the World Alliance for Arts Education and its members being offered for free from 23-30 May. Each webinar will showcase promising practices for arts education during and after the pandemic.

  3. Share Your Work. Share with your colleagues what you are learning about how arts education can play an important role in the lives of children and youth, families, and communities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. WAAE will showcase submitted programs through a virtual space and UNESCO will collect promising practices related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the lead up to the worldwide celebration of arts education, interested individuals and organizations are encourage you to help spread the word.

All information is offered in in Arabic, English, French, Mandarin, PortugueseRussian, and Spanish