There is one primary questions that has triggered the discussions that have resulted in Inclusive Pedagogy in Arts – Europe (IMPA-E): Who is entitled to high class music education? This question is especially tough in civilized Europe where there is a long pedagogical tradition in music education and yet students with special needs are a rare sight in music schools. This is true also in other art institutions (dance, drama, visual arts). Public contracts, articles, laws and the curriculum oblige us to uphold the equality in Art education (example the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Postdamer Erklärung des Verband deutscher Musikschulen 2014, Individualized tuition at basic art education in Finland 2002). Education, expierience of diverstity and the availability of necessary support are the main factors behind attitudes of inclusion. Implementation of obligations required by the law and the agreements varies a lot. In IPA-E Project the partners are pioneers in developing inclusion in their own countries both in music schools and art pedagogue education. Each organization has a slightly different approach to inclusion which is richness in this project. All these partners have same values and willness to develop inclusive pedagogy in arts. Since different countries have differing approaches to inclusion, just sharing experiences will advance each partners theoretical and practical knowledge. In addition mixing different approaches always promotes new innovations and best practices which will deepen inclusive thinking and teachership and curriculum work. There are seven partners in this IPA-E project from four countries. Three partners are representing music schools (Kuopio Conservatory Finland, Siauliai 1st Music School Lithuania, Kreismusikschule Vechta Germany). Four partners are representing higher art education (Savonia Applied Scienses Music and Dance Finland, Siauliai Universitetas Lithuania, Universität Vechta Germany, Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien (MDW) Austria). These transnationally partners has been found through personal contacts by Mrs. Annukka Knuuttila on international week at University of Vechta (Germany). The project is implemented 1.9.2017-31.3.2019. There wiil be five seminars (meetings) together with the partners. Each partner will host a knowledge sharing visit of 3 days (+2 travelling days) by representatives from each partners. This will involve visits to observe professional practice of inclusive teaching in host organization, 1 day seminar on the inclusive practice, curriculum, best practice and visit local cooperative organisations (example inclusive drama group, primary schools, other music or art schools). The start and final seminar will be organized by Kuopio Conservatory in Finland. The projects financial management , implementation and budget will be taken care of Kuopio Conservatory. Between the meetings the partners will work , discuss and share experiences and know-how through skype, emails and blogs on IPA-E projects own web-site. Evaluation will be done in project meetings. In the meetings the participants will be evaluate if the project is proceeded as planned. If needed the project plan will be changed. Each partner organisation will be obligated to produce best practices and utilize them in their curriculum work and research. All partners will also spread them through their own networks (for example European Music school Union EMU). The project aims to promote equality to support the students with different kind of special needs (for example fysically and menthally disability, different dimensions of immigration and multi-cultural background, elderly people). Through this project the partner organisations will get to know the best practises of each other and deepen and develop their process of inclusive pedagogy in many ways :in curriculum work and in inclusive teachership. Also the needs of the research will be sorted out. All this will lead to a new European model of in-service trainig in inclusive art pedagogy. This all is very relevant, current and most needed. That's why the dissimination of IPA-E project is very high and it will develop inclusive art pedagogy in equal and civilized Europe. Each partner organisation will be obligated to produce best practices and utilize them in their curriculum work and research. All partners will also spread them through their own networks (for example European Music school Union EMU).
Background/context of the project; number and type/profile of participants: In 2002-04 with funding from The Finnish Board of Education, Kuopio Conservatory was given the task as a pioneer in Finland to create administrative and pedagogical guidelines for the Individualized tuition (IVT) in the curriculum of Basic Art Education. This was the starting point to develop Kuopio Conservatory into an inclusive music school. It especially was focusing on teaching methods for pupils with intellectual disabilities. IVT required novel ideas into the education of music pedagogues as well. The Savonia University of Applied Sciences started in cooperation with Kuopio Conservatory to develop the inclusive pedagogy in the training of music and dance pedagogues. In the same time the need of knowledge and practical experiences of teaching pupils with special needs was recognized at European Music School Union (EMU). There was a lot of international and national conventions, public contracts and laws, which oblige to give the opportunity to high class art education to everyone. The experiences of Kuopio Conservatory were presented at several Capacity Building seminars of EMU. Five project partners of IPA-E project were founded through these forums. It was clear from the very beginning that the project partners will representative both practical pedagogy (music/dance schools) and teacher´s training (universities). Nevertheless, the focus was in music education. In IPA-E Project the partners were pioneers in developing inclusion in their own countries both in music schools and other art pedagogue education. Each organization had a slightly different approach to inclusion. All project partners had versatile and innovative pedagogical solution of inclusive pedagogy. Objectives: The best practices at the music/dance schools and at teachers training at the universities were collected for to find out solutions for promoting inclusion in art education. Description of undertaken activities: There were five project meetings during the project; two in Finland, one in Germany, Lithuania and Austria. The last one was The International Final Seminar in Kuopio, Finland. The core of the team working was the reflection during the whole project. The reflection was done by observing,discussing (round tables),writing,reading, analyzing and learning by doing in the workshops. After every meeting the homeworks for the next meeting were sorted out. Results and impact attained: Because of a different approach to inclusion, both an extensive theoretical and practical competences and excellent team working skills of each project participants, the best practices were noticed not only as concrete pedagogical and methodological exercises. To find out the best practices for influencing on attitudes and promoting the accessibility were important as well. It was stated that inclusion in pedagogy means change in attitudes, teachers training, curricula/syllabus, administrative operations, development work in methodology, strengthening the practical and theoretical skills of pedagogical staff. The challenges of the accessibility proved to be cultural differences (lack of the knowledge), economical and geographically. For promoting accessibility the cooperation especially with the kindergartens, schools, art institutions (museums, orchestras) and NGOs perceived very important. It seemed that however the most difficult thing in inclusion is to change the attitude which is the starting point to develop inclusion. In the teacher´s training the practicing with different people with different special needs (mixt groups) and in the multi-professional teams was found necessary. The public informing of IPA-E succeeded well. The interest of media exceeded all the expectations. About IPA-E -project it has a been written on national and international level in newspapers, trade journals and publications of international conferences. The best practices of the inclusive art pedagogy were led to the follow-up application ALIISA (Erasmus+ KA201,strategic partnership). If relevant, longer-term benefits: The Final Seminar was an excellent forum for national and international networking for teachers,students, researchers, artists and workers of different culture organizations. New project and co-operative ideas were founded. An increased interest of the teaching staff for Erasmus Job shadow exchange. After the seminar the participants have got many requests to come to speak about inclusive art education and inclusive teachership. In the application of IPA-E the question was asked:Who is entitled to high class music education? In the Final Seminar this question was answered but a new question was asked: Is a person with special needs entitled to perform as an artist? The long- term benefit of the IPA-E project was to be aware and convinced that inclusion is sharing the humanity and loving people with all restrictions and special features. Making all kind of arts together.