Why We Make Art: And Why it is Taught

by Richard Hickman

Governments around the world spend millions on art and cultural institutions, evidence of a basic human need for what the author refers to as “creating aesthetic significance.” Yet what function or purpose does art satisfy in today’s society? In this thorough and accessible text, Richard Hickman rejects the current vogue for social and cultural accounts of the nature of art-making in favor of a largely psychological approach aimed at addressing contemporary developmental issues in art education. Bringing to bear current ideas about evolutionary psychology, this second edition will be an important resource for anyone interested in arts education.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

195 pages, Paperback

First published January 8, 2005

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am I more worried about my art teacher training course now I’ve read this? Yes. There weight of the responsibility of art teachers feels heavy and I’ve not even started. I 100% agree we need to prioritise making over critical and historical studies of art history.

[Chloe Allwright]

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