SCHOOLS OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

SCHOOLS OF MUSIC

AND PERFORMING ARTS

GUIDELINES FOR FURTHER DEVELOPING

THE SCHOOLS INTO LOCAL RESOURCE

CENTRES

SCHOOLS OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

GUIDELINES FOR FURTHER DEVELOPING THE SCHOOLS

INTO LOCAL RESOURCE CENTRES

CONTENTS

6

PREFACE

7

TO THE MUNICIPALITIES:

10

PROLOGUE

SPEECH ON THE SCHOOLS OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS GIVEN BY TOLGA MAYOR ERLING AAS-ENG

11-12

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACkGROUND

1.2 ABOUT THESE GUIDELINES 1.3 STARTING FROM POSTULATES 1.4 SOME DEFINITIONS

13-16

2 THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS – SHARED LOCAL AND NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY 2.1 MUNICIPALITIES AS SCHOOL OwNERS

2.2 SHARED NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY 2.3 NATIONAL CURRICULUM REGULATIONS

2.4 THE LOCAL RESOURCE CENTRE – AN ExTENSION OF THE ROLE OF A SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

2.5 THE STRATEGIC PLAN DEFINITION OF A LOCAL RESOURCE CENTRE 2.6 STATE FUNDING OF THE SCHOOLS OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

17-19

3 PROGRESS REPORT

3.1 THE NORwEGIAN MODEL FOR SCHOOLS OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS 3.2 SUBJECT PREFERENCES AT SCHOOLS OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS 3.3 SMALL AND LARGE MUNICIPALITIES

3.4 PUPIL DISTRIBUTION

3.5 THE DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGE 3.6 SCHOOL STAFF

20-33

4 SUCCESS CRITERIA FOR SCHOOLS OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ART 4.1 LOFTY VISION

4.2 CORE ACTIVITIES

4.3 THE SCHOOLS AS AN INSTITUTION 4.4 SCHOOL PUPILS

4.5 SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS TEACHERS 4.6 SCHOOL ORGANIzATION AND MANAGEMENT

4.7 PREMISES

4.8 MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT

4.9 PRIMARY USERS – AMATEUR USERS

4.10 COOPERATION wITH PROFESSIONAL CULTURAL ACTIVITIES 4.11 PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

4.12 PRESCHOOL

4.13 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS 4.14 MULTICULTURALISM

4.15 CULTURE AND HEALTH

4.16 THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS AS A TOOL IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

34-51

5 PRESENTATIONS OF THE DEMONSTRATION SCHOOLS OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

5.1 THE NORwEGIAN DIRECTORATE FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING’S PUBLICATIONS IN 2006 AND 2007

5.2 MORE ABOUT THE LARVIk SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS 5.3 MORE ABOUT THE TRONDHEIM SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS 5.4 MORE ABOUT THE TIME SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

5.5 MORE ABOUT THE TOLGA SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

52-54

6 TRIALS, REPORTS AND wHITE PAPERS

6.1 BRIEF HISTORY

TO THE MUNICIPALITIES: 

In the Creative Learning — Art and Culture in Education 2007–2010 strategic plan, the Ministry of Education and Research accentuates the further development of schools of music and performing arts as local resource centres in light of the opportunities they afford. Culture Initiative 2.0 confirms the place of schools of music and performing arts in education.

“Schools of music and performing arts for all children seeking them”. A Cultural initiative will be implemented so that all children who want to attend can find good, affordable schools of music and performing arts. This aim will be safeguarded by State subsidies and solid municipal economies. A study will be made of the further development of more comprehensive schools of music and performing arts associated with schools and with before-and-after-school programmes. There will be latitude for various ways of organizing schools of music and performing arts. Arrangements will be made to make the schools of music and performing arts known and to encourage their development of talent.

A school of music and performing arts is a useful tool in local and school development. Many Norwegian municipalities are far along in this work. Today, in several places, the school of music and performing arts is a local resource centre for children, young people and the elderly, for schools and local cultural life, for integration and for health.

The guidelines set forth in this document have drawn upon the expertise of many schools of music and performing arts as well as upon the experience gained in demonstration school projects designated by the Ministry in four municipalities: Trondheim and Larvik in 2006-2007, and Time and Tolga in 2007-2008. Experience in the demonstration schools shows that the model can be adapted to small or large municipalities and that in some sectors, new and exciting uses may soon be found for the extensive expertise available in the schools of music and performing arts

Ten years after a working group appointed by the Ministry presented its report, “The school of music and performing arts, an achievement in municipal initiatives for richer local communities”, this guideline document supplements and corroborates the conclusions made then.

This guideline document can be a useful for the municipalities in their planning activities in the years to come. The general part is suitable for political discussion. Chapter 5 reporting the details of the individual demonstration school projects affords a deeper understanding of the activities involved.

Users of the schools of music and performing arts – pupils, parents, amateur organizations and professional art and culture institutions and organizations – can also benefit from these guidelines in their respective spheres. The guidelines are of course also addressed to school owners and preschool leaders, schools of music and performing arts as well as primary and secondary schools.

This guideline document is the result of a cooperative effort of the demonstration schools in Larvik, Time, Tolga and Trondheim, the Norwegian Council of Schools of Music and Performing Arts, the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training and the Norwegian Centre for Art and Culture in Education at Bodø.

PREFACE

The Norwegian Centre for Art and Culture in Education is pleased to present these guidelines compiled jointly with the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts. The guidelines are pivotal in the Centre’s programme for further developing the schools of music and performing arts (in which music, dance, drama, art and creative writing are taught). The programme is directly related to the Ministry of Education and Research’s long-term strategic plan, Creative Learning — Art and Culture in Education 2007–2010. The Centre is responsible for overall follow-up as well as for implementing many of the 27 Measures listed in the strategic plan.

The publication of this guideline document was delineated in Measure 19 of the strategic plan, Guidelines for Municipalities. Our intent is that these guidelines will comprise a tool for the municipalities in their work to further develop their schools of music and performing arts into local resource centres. The guidelines are based on experience gained in further developing demonstration schools into local resource centres. Moreover, success criteria have been formulated to assess how well the offerings of a school of music and performing arts meet needs.

We acknowledge that the work involved would have been difficult, if not impossible, without the constructive interaction with the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts. So we wish to express our gratitude to the Council and to the various schools of music and performing arts that cooperated in compiling these guidelines. Furthermore, continued cooperation with the Council is essential in realizing our goal of bringing these guidelines to the attention of decision-makers. So we wish to thank the Council for smooth cooperation to date. We look forward to further cooperation with the Council, the Schools of music and performing arts, the municipalities, and many others, who are key figures in ensuring quality school offerings for everyone.

We also wish to thank the working group and the reference group, and are thankful for the dialogues with the professionals of the municipalities where the demonstration schools were located. We also acknowledge the contributions of the Form til Fjells design bureau in Røros that designed the collage and its legends (pp. 8-9) and worked with Tolga Mayor Erling Aas-Eng and Deputy Mayor Ragnhild Aashaug in writing the mayoral speech (page 10). Photographers Carl-Erik Eriksson and Tanja Lundestad Lawrence contributed photos from Trondheim and Ingrid Eide contributed photos from Tolga.

Ellen Marie Sæthre-McGuirk Director and Head of Research

Norwegian Centre for Art and Culture in Education

Kristin Halvorsen Minister of Education

norwegian centre for arts and culture in education - SCHOOLS OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

<

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The Cultural Rucksack <<

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Schools of music and performing arts

Photo: Ingrid Eide, Ola Rye, Time school of music and performing arts , Trondheim school of music and performing arts, Tolga school of music and performing arts, Larvik school of music

A school of music and

performing arts deals principally with individuals.

The schools are

scholasticl!

“It takes an

entire village

to raise a child”

(African proverb)

“Don’t give people

what they want;

they deserve better.”

(Brigt Jensen)

A school of music and performing arts is responsible for preserving and developing the existing

cultural milieu.

A school of music and performing arts contributes to a favourable childhood environment that imbues a joy of life and an ability to master it.

An early start is

important

in

all the arts

Schools of music and performing arts for

everyone

– are possible.

and performing arts – an arena for

memorable

experiences

To master

as a child

is to succeed later

in life!

<< Pres_choo l << Amateur cu ltural activities <<Pro fessio n << Music from th e beginning of life Up per sec_on dar y sc hoo l << Pri_ma ry a nd l_ow er s_eco nda ry sc_hoo l / b efore and a fter sc_{hool pr} ogramme (S_FO) High er ed ucat_ion

SPEECH ON THE SCHOOLS OF MUSIC

AND PERFORMING ARTS GIVEN BY

TOLGA MAYOR ERLING AAS-ENG

The joy of life

We want the schools of music and performing arts to im-bue children with a joy of life and an ability to master it. How many Norwegian local politicians favourably view their schools of music and performing arts? Do we expect anything of these schools?

If yes – what do we expect?

The Education Act states that all municipalities shall have a school of music and performing arts, but it is up to the municipalities themselves to determine the qual-ity, extent and price of what their schools offer.

The desire to learn

As school owners we must ask ourselves what sort of school we want. What qualities shall the school staff develop? What should the pupils learn, and why? Art and music are known to positively affect all learn-ing and development, both as ends and as means, par-ticularly in school subjects but also in cultivation in general.

A primary or secondary school interacting closely with a school of music and performing arts gives its pupils the scope and latitude for optimum cultivation and education. The interaction fosters play and learning, motivation and mastering, and it leads to insight and perspective.

The desire to meet others

You can learn to know yourself only in the company of others. Cultural activities offer arenas for human encounters, across national borders and between languages in the multicultural municipalities of the country. We have many immigrants, and schools of music and performing arts offer interaction that leads to mutual respect and understanding. We hope that our municipality shall be tolerant. We can learn by listen-ing. We can gain respect through experience and under-standing.

- Harry Rishaug, Senior Adviser,

Norwegian Council of Schools of Music and Performing Arts

Moreover, a reference group was appointed comprising representatives from the municipalities, the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training and the Schools of Music and Performing Arts. The National Centre for Art and Culture in Education funded the work of the group.

The reference group comprised:

- Arnhild Hegtun,

Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training - Aase Sætran, Chairperson of Trondheim Municipality - Berit Kirksæther, Adviser, Trondheim Municipality - Eva Hagen, Head of Administration,

Larvik School of Music and Performing Arts - Guri Årsvoll, Vice Rector,

Time School of Music and Performing Arts

- Kari Anne Osborg, Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities

- Knut Sagbakken, Town Manager, Municipality of Tolga - Randi Gran Tørring, Operations Manager,

Municipality of Tolga

- Siri Singsaas, Head of Department,

Trondhiem School of Music and Performing Arts - Terje Adde, Head of Culture, Municipality of Namsos - Ørjan Daltveit, Head of Municipal Affairs,

Municipality of Time

Harry Rishaug wrote this guideline document, save for the descriptions of the demonstration schools of music and performing arts schools in Chapter 5. He also visited the four demonstration schools and met several key politicians, administrators, school managers and user group represen-tatives. The viewpoints expressed at these meetings are included in this guideline document.

1.2 ABOUT THIS GUIDELINES

The strategic plan calls for the development of success criteria based on the experiences of the four demonstration schools. The success criteria comprise a tool for the municipalities in their work in further developing schools of music and perform-ing arts local resource centres. We view the success criteria as fundamental principles and methods that, based on these schools’ experiences, play a part in such a development.

The desire to live in a place

Identity is closely tied to culture. Who are we and where did we come from? Taking part in a cultural milieu imparts meaning and memories. Childhood experience shapes us later in life, and in our municipality the school of music and performing arts provides fertile conditions for the roots to one’s home town. Indeed that bond is strong, as many choose to return as adults, which is significant in a municipality such as ours.

Joy of life

It’s been said that children learn to live through playing.

Prioritizing culture and creativity is an outlay that underlies earning power and goes beyond numbers and budget speeches. In our municipality, the school of music and performing arts is the bond between school and recreation, generations and community groups, the amateur cultural sector and municipal activities and the local population and newcomers. Today’s labour market requires versatile people. Creativity and flexibility are prized characteris-tics, and independence is as important as the abil-ity to interact. The variety within the school of music and performing arts develops capable, bold people and nurtures an unprejudiced, vigorous local community. The preschool, primary school and we who own the schools must always seek new paths to ensure that pupils develop all their skills. One of these paths is via the school of music and perform-ing arts.

The degree to which we succeed as politicians is assessed in terms of what we achieve within our scopes. That requires the ability to prioritize and the determination to stand by the choices we make. In our municipality we have chosen the school of music and performing arts for more than 20 years and have found that we can’t afford not to.

1.1 BACKGROUND

On 27 June 2007, the Minister of Education, Mr. Øystein Djupedal, presented the Creative Learning — Art and Culture in Education 2007–2010 long-term strategic plan. The plan includes a call for further developing the schools of music and performing arts into local resource centres for preschools, primary schools and secondary schools.

Measure 19: Guidance for municipalities

The Measure calls for guidelines to be compiled based on the performance of the demonstration schools with success criteria to assess how well schools of music and performing arts meet all needs. The guidelines aim to facilitate the work of the municipalities in further developing the schools into local resource centres.

Responsible: The Directorate for Education and Training,

the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts and the Norwegian Centre for Art and Culture in Educa-tion.

Timeframe: 2008-2009

The first demonstration schools were nominated for start up in the autumn semester of 2006. The Schools of Music and Performing Arts in Trondheim and in Larvik were selected on the basis of proposals put forth by the respective County Governors, and the final choice was made by a jury appoint-ed by the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training. A similar process took place the next year, and the Schools of Music and Performing Arts in Time and in Tolga were selected as the next and final demonstration schools. Demonstration activities have ended in Trondheim and Larvik continued in Time and Tolga until the end of the 2008/2009 school year. Each of the four schools is represented in the work of compiling these guidelines by its rector or curriculum manager.

The working group that compiled these guidelines comprised:

- Astrid Fjeld, Rector,

Time School of Music and Performing Arts - Berit Konstad Graftås, Curriculum Manager,

Tolga School of Music and Performing Arts - Odd Terje Lysebo, Rector,

Larvik School of Music and Performing Arts - Vidar Hjemås, Rector,

Trondheim School of Music and Performing Arts1

PROLOGUE

1 INTRODUCTION

The demonstration schools were chosen because in many sectors they function as local resource centres and conse-quently are good examples for others. UNESCO’s Road Map for Arts Education (Lisbon, 2006)2 _{refers to the worth of}

“best practices”. In her Wow Factor3 _{report, Anne Bamford}

emphasizes the importance of role models in efforts to de-velop and improve education in the arts.

These guidelines are based on the delineation of local resource centres in the Creative Learning long-term strategy plan. They also are based in part on The path to diversity – the curriculum for schools of music and performing arts (2003)4_{, in which examples and discussions are used to}

gen-erate suggestions and viewpoints on how the municipalities may work towards the scholastic and organizational goals described in these documents. We are primarily addressing municipal administrators and school managers, school of music and performing arts managers, teachers, parents and pupils. But local music councils and local cultural clubs and organizations also may benefit from the material presented. In many areas concise recommendations are either difficult to give or outright wrongheaded. Consequently, we believe that these guidelines should describe best practice through the use of illustrative examples and should provide information that triggers local debate, which in turn may contribute to finding the best path forward for the individual municipalities.

1.3 STARTING FROM POSTULATES

We have suggested some prerequisites, or postulates, to initiate discussion. The postulates focus on themes relevant to the further development of schools of music and performing arts and are worded in ways that we hope will lead to beneficial local processes.

1.4 SOME DEFINITIONS

We have used the strategic plan’s definition of an artistic profession as one involving education in the performing and creative arts, principally music, dance, drama, art and creative writing.

Though the Education Act describes the schools involved as “music and culture schools”, in these guidelines we speak of them as schools of music and performing arts.

Likewise, the strategic plan calls for “educational resource centres” and “cultural education resource centres”, but in these guidelines, we speak of local resource centres.

2.1 MUNICIPALITIES AS SCHOOL OwNERS

The legal status of the municipalities as school owners is set forth in §13.6 of the “Act of 17 July 1998, relating to Primary and Secondary Education and Training (the Education Act)”, available in English translation under that title.

Ҥ 13-6: Provision of courses in music and other cultural activities

All municipalities, either singly or in cooperation with other municipalities, shall provide courses in music and other cultural activities for children and young people, organised in association with the school system and the local cultural milieu.”

That one sentence is the entire Section 13.6. Even though the municipal councils determine the extent and nature of the activities, the Act requires that the municipalities offer cultural schooling. In addition to music, they shall also offer courses in one of more of the arts. The Act also states that the school of music and performing arts shall be coordinated with the school system and the local cultural milieu. This is the basis for the school of music and performing arts as a local resource centre.

There are poor communities with excellent schools of music and performing arts and affluent municipalities with sub-standard ones. This illustrates that finances alone do not determine the calibre of a school of music and performing arts. The role and position that a school of music and performing arts has attained in its municipality seems to be equally as decisive in local prioritization.

2.2 SHARED NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Parliament (Stortinget) has recurrently put schools of music and performing arts on the agenda. There has been general agreement across party lines on the significance of these schools and on the need for broad social offerings and good teaching.

In each County, The County Governor is responsible for monitoring the municipalities’ adherence to the

Educa-tion Act. The monitoring includes the schools of music and performing arts and the reporting of findings in the Information System for Primary and Lower Secondary Education statistics5_{. In its annual allocations bulletin to the}

County Governors, the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training has stated that the schools of music and performing arts and the Cultural Rucksack shall be included in the monitoring.

The Culture Act

The overall responsibility of the State as well as well as the obligations of the municipalities for cultural affairs are set forth in the Culture Act, entitled “Act of 29 June 2007, relating to the responsibilities of public authorities for cultural activities”.

The first two Sections of the Act state its purpose and define terms:

§1: Purpose

The purpose of the Act is to stipulate the responsibilities of public authorities for promoting and arranging cultural activities, so that everyone may participate in them and experience a diversity of cultural expression.

In §2: Definitions, item d states that “the term cultural

activities in this Act is understood to mean to participate in cultural activities”. This definition is elaborated on by in the designation of “art and other cultural instruction and education within basic training, higher education and adult education”.

The Act sets forth the responsibilities of the State, the counties and the municipalities, respectively for the national, regional and local levels of the cultural sector.

2 THE SCHOOLS OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING

ARTS — SHARED LOCAL AND NATIONAL

RESPONSIBILITY

5 _{Grunnskolenes informasjonssystem inkluderer også kulturskolestatistikken}

2 _{Fins i norsk utgave: Veiviseren for kunstfaglig utdanning, Musikk i Skolen, 2008}

3 _{Waxmann forlag. Norsk utgave Musikk i Skolen 2008}

2.3 THE NATIONAL CURRICCULUM

Under the auspices of the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts, in 2003 a national curriculum was compiled for the schools of music and performing arts. Entitled “The path to diversity”, it contains in-depth descrip-tions of the objectives and tasks of the schools of music and performing arts. The relevant aspects are shown in the diagram below6_.:

2.4 THE LOCAL RESOURCE CENTRE – AN

ExTENSION OF THE ROLE OF A SCHOOL OF

MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

In 2004 the Ministry of Education and Research released White Paper no. 39 Ej blot til Lyst (“Not for pleasure alone”) containing an in-depth discussion of the role of the school of music and performing arts as a local resource centre (ref: 6.2 p. 53). In its hearing on the white paper, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs expanded on the pupil’s perspective and social benefits of greater commitment to the further development of schools of music and performing arts7_.

“The committee believes that the burgeoning schools of music and performing arts benefit local communities by promoting culture. Moreover, the committee believes that that artistic development through pupil activities contributes to building the local community in a positive manner and is a resource for the local cultural milieu. A school of music and performing arts is a type of school in which the pupils may participate on their own terms and to the extent of their abilities, without entrance requirements.

In the committee’s opinion, it is important that a school of music and performing arts be a place where children and young people can experience success through positive development of their skills and abilities. The committee wishes to emphasize that a commitment to broad scope is

an essential aspect of the activities of a school of music and performing arts. The committee also believes that a broad scope brings forth talent that can be further developed in other educational and cultural institutions. The growth of the schools of music and performing arts has escalated musical activities, and many young people who have broken through nationally and internationally have previously been pupils at these schools.”7

2.5 THE STRETEGIC PLAN’S DEFINITION OF

LOCAL RESOURCE CENTRE

In the Creative Learning long-term strategy plan8 _several

areas are identified in which a school of music and performing arts may be developed into a local resource centre, as illustrated in the diagram below.

The strategy plan calls attention to the role of schools and performing arts as contributors to and supports of amateur cultural activities and states that school activities should have a multicultural profile. It also calls for cooperation between the schools and local organizations supporting teaching of cultural topics other than music.

Use also may be made of the experience gained through the Norwegian Council of Schools of Music and Performing Arts’ major development projects Kreativt Oppvekstmiljø

– KOM! (“Creative Childhood Environment – KOM!”)

and Kulturskolefokus (“Focus on Schools of Music and

Performing arts”). These regional networking programmes are supported by the Norwegian Centre for Art and Culture in Education.

The networking programmes were conducted mostly together with educational institutions, The Cultural Ruck-sack and the County Governors. The strategic plan observes that projects and initiatives linked to

The Cultural Rucksack should be linked to the school of music and performing arts, which acts as a coordinator for

various art and cultural efforts and art institutions and as a producer together with primary schools in developing local Cultural Rucksack projects, in which pupils are involved.

2.6 STATE FUNDING OF THE SCHOOLS OF

MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

Earmarked State funding of the activities of the municipal schools of music and performing arts

In 1982 – 2003, the central government funded the schools of music and performing arts according to set criteria that among other factors included a cap on school funding and support for conductor and instructor services provided to school choirs, bands and orchestras. From 2004 on, funding of about NOK 90 million (EUR 10.3 million) was included in the central government transfers to municipalities, and the criteria for activities were devolved to them.

Development funds via the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts

Most municipalities in the country are members of the Nor-wegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts, the interest group for municipalities with such schools. Since 2007, The Norwegian Centre for Art and Culture in Education has funded joint projects with the Council to the benefit of the schools of music and performing arts.

These funds have mostly been linked to the 27 Measures of the Creative Learning long-term strategy plan that supports the further development of the schools into local resource centres. The relevant measures are Measure 1 (Support local initiatives so that schools of music and performing arts can be further developed as local resource centres for preschools and primary and secondary education and training), Measure 18 (Demonstration schools of music and performing arts), Measure 19 (Guidance for the municipalities and the success criteria for developing the schools of music and performing arts as good local resource centres) and Measure 20 (Mediating literature in the schools of music and performing arts).

For nearly 20 years the Storting (Parlament) has funded the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Perform-ing Arts for developPerform-ing the schools of music and perform-ing arts. Moreover, in the discussions of White Paper No.

39 Ei blot til Lyst (“Not for pleasure alone”) and White

Paper no. 8 (2007-2008) Kulturell skolesekk for framtida

(“The Cultural Rucksack of the Future”) the Ministry of Education and Research and the Storting underscored the vital role of the Council in advising and encouraging the municipalities in the development of schools of music and performing arts. From 2007 on, in addition to interaction funding by the Norwegian Centre for Art and Culture in

Education, the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training has allocated funds linked to goals of the Strategic Plan for further developing the schools of music and perform-ing arts into local resource centres. This development work has been conducted in centrally-organized programmes as well as through supporting local projects in the schools of music and performing arts.

The network programmes

For 12 years, the Positivt skolemiljø (“Positive school environment”) regional network programme under the auspices of the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts helped strengthen aesthetic activities in primary and lower secondary school. From 2004 on,

the Kreativt oppvekstmiljø – KOM! (Creative Childhood

Environment – KOM!) programme has been developed jointly with the BTV region (Buskerud, Vestfold and Telemark counties). It is based on the same methods as the Positive School Environment initiative, but also included the schools of music and performing arts.

The prime goals of the KOM programme have been to develop educational culture productions, increase communication capabilities and make the schools better users and recipients of The Cultural Rucksack. For three years, the participating municipalities and their schools of music and performing arts and primary and lower secondary schools have worked together toward this goal. The programme is still being devel-oped for preschools and upper secondary schools, and within the scope of KOM, a city model is being tested in Trond-heim in Trøndelag county (2008 -2010). The goal of the sister programme Kulturskolefokus (“Focus on Schools of Music and Performing Art”) has been similar, but is aimed only at participants in the schools of music and performing arts. The project has finished in Hedmark and Oppland counties, is in the final phase in Nordland and Troms counties and is in its second year in Møre og Romsdal and Sogn og Fjordane counties. In the autumn of 2009, KOM and Kulturskolefokus merged into KOM i FOKUS, with the goal of uniting the best aspects of the two programmes. This programme has started in Finnmark and in Agder counties under the auspices of the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts, in collaboration with the County Governors, the county Council’s Department of Culture and the region’s competence communities.

School of Music and Performing Arts Days

From 2006 annual course days have been held each autumn attended by up to 500 school of music and performing arts teachers and managers. The scope is academic seminars of use and inspiration at the start-up of the new academic year.

Local resource centre

Collaboration with managers in other types of schools to realize “Creative Learning”

Professional resource for preschools, primary and secondary schools

Help pupils gain capabilities in various subjects

Collaborate with organisations with school-oriented activities

Collaboration in using resources Collaboration with

institutions for artistic expression

Educational guide for using “The Cultural Rucksack in teaching”

Adapted teaching for all interested pupils

Interdisciplinary projects

Pupils interact with professional artists Pupils as participants in

local cultural activities Concerts, exhibitions and performances Prerserve breadth and quality Broad spectrum of artistic expression School of music and performing arts

6 _{På vei til mangfold, side 19}

7 _{Inst.S.nr.131 (2003-2004) kap. 2.3 Kulturskolen}

Norwegian National Youth Orchestra and Norwegian Music Competition for Youth

These are national cooperative projects, respectively with the Norwegian Youth Orchestra Association and the Norwe-gian Music Teachers’ Association.

Professional coordination and idea generation

The professional staff in music, visual arts subjects, drama and creative writing at the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts have assumed responsibility for managing the network programmes and course days. The Council has compiled a book of ideas, has led county exhibitions in visual arts subjects and has developed follow-up studies in music technology.

Local development projects

Each year, several schools of music and performing arts have received local funding to realize their own projects. Moreover, the Strategic Plan is conducive to the focus on these projects contributing to expanding the scope of the schools of music and performing arts beyond music.

Other course activities

Other course activities are directed toward primary and lower secondary schools and are funded by school fees. Several of these courses are natural extensions of Positivt

skolemiljø (“Positive school environment”). Each year, a

series of courses, Kor Arti (“How funny”), Ut på Golvet

(“Out on the floor”) and Opplevelsesdager (“Experience days”), draw 2000 teachers and managers from across the country.

3.1 THE NORwEGIAN MODEL FOR SCHOOLS

OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

The Norwegian model for schools of music and performing arts is characterized through the intention to provide all interested children and young people with quality education in the arts, with the possibility of further specialization for talented people. In accordance with the legal provisions in force from 1997 on, many schools of music and performing arts have expanded their curriculum, to include drama, dance, visual arts and creative writing in addition to instrumental and voice teaching.

The focus of the Norwegian schools of music and performing arts on breadth and specialization is academically and politically challenging. The model has attracted interest abroad. For example, in a media release just before New Year’s 2009, the Culture, Education and Training Committee of the Nordic Council of Ministers remarked that:

“The Committee favours a long-term spread of the Norwe-gian school of music and performing arts scheme to trigger national efforts throughout the Nordic region.”

The model for the schools of music and performing arts can be diagrammed as a pyramid in which broad, general basic teaching in a spectrum of art subjects meets the needs of amateurs as well as those of primary and lower secondary schools and preschools, and in this way can reach all children. The specialization offered to talented pupils (talent programme) is related to curriculum options in upper second-ary schools, universities and university colleges, which for one thing leads to professional qualifications and to research.

3 PROGRESS REPORT

The Norwegian school

of music and performing arts

The open, public

school of music

and performing arts

For all interested children and young people Higher education

Upper secondary school

Talent- programme

Amateur cultural activities

Primary and lower secondary school

Preschool The professional

cultural milieu Research

The Cultural Rucksack

Music 71 % Visual arts 6 % Drama 6 % Dance 12 %

Other artistic and cultural expressions

5 %

Places by subject in schools of music and performing

3.2 SUBJECT PREFERENCES AT SCHOOLS OF

MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

According to the national GSI statistics for 2008/2009, music is chosen by 71 % of the pupils at the schools. Dance accounts for 12 %, while visual arts subjects and drama each account for 6 % of the pupils. The remaining 5 % of the pupils elect less comprehensive subjects, such as creative writing, contemporary circus and photography.

3.3 SMALL AND LARGE MUNICIPALITIES

Most of the 430 municipalities in Norway are very small. Accord-ingly, 230 of the schools of music and performing arts, 59 % of the total, have fewer than 200 places and only 12 schools (3 %) have more than 1000 places.

The activities of the schools vary considerably, in step with: • Number of pupils

• Access to teachers • Curriculum

• Financial and physical framework conditions • Geographic coverage / communication • Decentralized / centralized teaching • Inter-municipal cooperation

The schools of music and performing arts in the big city munici-palities offer the greatest spectra of subjects and opportunities for specialization, but small municipalities can offer comprehensive offerings through inter-municipal schemes in cooperation with local and regional cultural institutions and organizations.

3.4 PUPIL DISTRIBUTION

Most of the pupils at the schools of music and performing arts (84 %) are of primary or lower secondary school age.9

Some schools limit their offerings to pupils of that age group, while some have ambitious offerings for all age groups. The 11 % above primary and lower secondary school age includes groups for retired persons. Some 5 % of the pu-pils are of preschool age, and many schools cooperate with preschools to reach a greater number of children.

3.5 THE DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGE

Finances

Today, many municipalities have good, reasonably-priced schools of music and performing arts that offer sibling discounts and scholarships. However, a survey conducted by the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts in early 200910 _{found an increasing spread in school fees.}

A report from Save the Children in Sweden in 2000 concluded that some groups were effectively excluded by the level of fees, then about SEK 1000 (EUR 94.1) per pupil per year at the full rate. Those so excluded included immigrants, single parents and others with low incomes. Researchers described this as a problem associated with poverty.

Save the Children in Norway and the Norwegian Coun-cil for Schools of Music and Performing Arts have gained support from the Ministry of Education and Research and the Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees to conduct a similar sociological pilot study in Norwe-gian schools of music and performing arts. The study was conducted in 2009 by Telemark Educational Research.11

Waiting lists

Some 25,000 children are on waiting lists for the schools of music and performing arts. That number has been relatively constant over the past few years. Municipalities in which school fees have recently risen dramatically have reported shortened waiting lists. Waiting lists usually are caused by school financial circumstances, but may also be attributed to a lack of qualified teachers.

Number of schools of music and performing arts

Places

Below Primary and lower secondary

school age 6025

5 % Primary and lower

secondary school age 103 501

84 % Above primary and

lower secondary school age

829 11 % Pupils in schools of music and performing arts

9 _{GSI-statistikken pr 1. Oktober 2008}

10 _{Budsjettundersøkelsen pr februar 2009. Norsk kulturskoleråd}

11 _{Rapporten skal presenteres 8. September 2009}

12 _{Dirigentlønn via kulturskolene. Norsk kulturskoleråd juni 2009}

Under grunnskolealder 6025 5 % I grunnskolealder 103 501 84 % Over grunnskolealder 13 829 11 % Elever i kulturskolen Faculty positions in schools of music and performing arts

In addition to core activities 11 %

Management and administration 15 % Remuneration agreements (sale of services) 5 % Teaching 69 %

3.6 SCHOOL STAFF

There are some 300 full-time equivalent staff (including deputy head teachers) in the schools. On average, office work is equivalent to 20 % of a full-time position.

In the autumn of 2008, a total of 5514 teachers were involved in the core activities of the schools. Of that total, more than 4900 teachers held part-time positions, most minor.

Many teachers at the schools have joint staff positions in primary and secondary schools or as conductors and instruc-tors in the amateur cultural activities. A survey conducted by the Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts12 _{showed that nearly 1400 ensembles pay salaries to}

conductors and instructors through schools of music and performing arts.

4.1 LOFTY VISION

“Schools of music and performing arts for all” has long

been an ambitious goal for the Norwegian Council for Music and Performing Arts. The current Ministerial Government shares this vision as it was put forth in 2005 in the Soria Moria Declaration.13

“The Government wishes that Schools of Music and Performing Arts be able to offer all children places at afford-able prices.”

Item 2 of Culture Initiative 2.014 _{follows this up:}

A Cultural Initiative will be implemented to offer good, af-fordable schools to all children wishing to attend. This aim will be safeguarded by State subsidies and solid municipal economies. A study will be made of the further development of more comprehensive schools of music and the performing arts with before-and-after-school programmes. There will be latitude for various ways of organizing schools of music and performing arts schools. Arrangements will be made to make the schools of music and performing arts known and to encourage their development of talent.

Of the demonstration schools of music and performing arts, Tolga has come furthest in achieving a ”school of music and performing arts for all”. The school has open admission and practically no waiting list. Experience indicates that the smallest schools of music and performing arts have the highest percentage of coverage. Figures from small munici-palities indicate that when made available, more than half the pupils at the primary and lower secondary school opt for subjects at schools of music and performing arts.15

The goal of providing cultural schooling for everyone de-pends upon local political commitment. Acceptably low fees combined with sibling discounts and scholarships are essen-tial for the offerings of a school of music and performing arts to reach everyone. In municipalities with ambitious goals for the schools, fees are viewed as an affordable ”entry ticket” for the schooling, with one price for all offerings, regardless of subject, level or organization of teaching.

4.2 CORE ACTIVITIES

Teaching the artistic professions is regarded to be the core ac-tivity of a school of music and performing arts16_{. The}

teach-ing typically is craftsmanlike, continuous and long-term. Pu-pils usually are taught individually or in small groups, but slightly larger groups may be taught in some subjects such as dance.

The prime goal of individual development of each pupil entails challenges for a school, both professional and in using resources. The professional aspect involves flexible organization of teaching with varying group sizes, often combined with individual supplements. This requires that the school allocate adequate time per pupil so a teacher can ensure the individualization that is essential in teaching the arts.

The schools are elective, so they must be able to motivate pupils through quality teaching, professionally as well as socially. The success of that aim is in evidence when pupils continue over longer periods.

4.3 THE SCHOOLS AS AN INSTITUTION

Thousands of children and young people in Norway receive their basic instruction in art and culture through the school of music and performing arts. For the many clubs and associations which today use the school of music and performing arts for all their instruction of members, the school of music and performing arts is the foundation wall.17

It is essential to distinguish between the activities of the school of music and performing arts and the amateur cultural life. While the school of music and performing arts attends to the instruction, the organisations are respon-sible for the organisation and running of the recreational activities.

The schools are scholastic!

The education at a school includes regularly involving the pupils in shows, performances and exhibitions. These activi-ties benefit many, including the pupils’ families, preschools, primary secondary schools, hospitals and welfare centres for the elderly. With its staff of musicians and other artists, a school of music and performing arts may also arrange con-certs, performances and exhibitions, often of high artistic level.

Many of the schools play a central role in the local imple-mentation of The Cultural Rucksack, festivals, musicals, ex-hibitions and theatrical performances, etc.

A school of music and performing arts is a cultural institution.

4.4 SCHOOL PUPILS

The pupil in focus

According to the På vei til mangfold (“Path to diversity”) framework plan18_{, the goal of the school of music and}

performing arts is:

“At schools of music and performing arts, all pupils shall be taught in accordance with their abilities and prerequisites.”

This implies a personal development process for each pupil. In turn, the process requires that teaching at the school be inspiring and take place in a socially secure, comfortable environment.

Adults and retired persons are pupils at schools of music and performing arts

Several schools of music and performing arts have provisions for pensioners, e.g. refresher courses in previous skills for an instrument. The schools of music and performing arts are in many places participants in conjunc-tion with Den kulturelle spaserstokken (The cultural walk-ing stick), a provision for the elderly based on the model of The Cultural Rucksack.

Schools of music and performing arts for everyone – are possible!

4 SUCCESS CRITERIA FOR SCHOOLS

OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

13 _{Regjeringserklæringen, 19.10.2005}

14 _{Regjeringspartiene 12.8.2009}

15 _{Namsos kommune er et eksempel, med mer enn 20 års erfaring}

16 _{Definisjon i GSI-statistikken}

17 _{Brev til departement og Storting fra de frivillige musikkorganisasjonene 6. mars 2007}

The Creative Learning long-term strategy plan entrusts the schools of music and performing arts with partial responsibility for the education of children and young people in preschools, primary schools and secondary schools. As such, the activities of a school of music and performing arts affect all children and young people in a municipality, either directly or indirectly.

A school of music and performing arts deals principally with individuals. A well rounded childhood environment

A good school of music and performing arts is integrated in its local community. It is a meeting point for diversity and solidarity and an important arena for the multicultural. Interaction between parents, schools and cultural activities are conducive to optimal childhood environments. In turn, this requires structured organization and follow-up. In this manner, a school of music and performing arts acquires a preventive dimension beyond its actual teaching.

“It takes an entire village to raise a child” (African proverb).

The consequences of adapted teaching

A school of music and performing arts shall provide adapted teaching to all its pupils, from the mentally and physically challenged who may require special arrangements to the gift-ed who may become the professional performers, creative mu-sicians and artists of the future.

Children and young people who acquire skills in the arts de-velop their awareness and their creative abilities. In turn, this builds self esteem and brings the joy of succeeding at some-thing. Hence a school of music and performing arts affords pupils the opportunity of developing talents other than those dealt with in compulsory school subjects. “Happy children’s faces” is a good expression for the significance of the schools of music and performing arts.

An early start and long-term, continual learning

The schools of music and performing arts should accentuate early teaching. Teaching in the arts must be adapted to the child’s mental and motoric development. Teaching tailored to children can take place in a preschool or in a school of music and performing arts or in both. In practice, the teach-ing may start as early as the child’s first year. Many schools of music and performing arts offer “Music from the begin-ning of life”, a concept tailored for an adult with an infant in a group together with others.

Small, child-sized instruments are used in music lessons. In many schools of music and performing arts, music teach-ing is play-oriented, under the guidance of specially trained teachers, and is well known for the string instruments used. In this way, children are given ample time at the right time to develop elementary technical and musical skills. Teaching preschool children depends on active parental cooperation. Children who start at an early age will in their self-critical teenage years be able to achieve a satisfying level of profi-ciency. Many of them may then continue with music. For some, this leads to continual training from preschool age through higher education. “To master as a child is to suc-ceed later in life.”

Children who start at an early age will in the self critical teenage years be able to achieve a level they perceive as satisfactory. Several of these will then be able to continue with music. For some, this results in continual training from preschool age through to tertiary education. “To master as a child is to succeed later in life.”

An early start is important in the arts. Children with special needs

Many schools of music and performing arts now have provisions for children, young people and adult pupils with various disabilities. In some municipalities, trained art and culture therapists are attached to the schools of music and performing arts. However, for many teachers at schools of music and performing arts, teaching of pupils with special needs is an integral part of ordinary teaching.

A school of music and performing arts contributes to a favourable childhood environment that imbues a joy of life and an ability to master it.

The talented are the future professionals

Most schools of music and performing arts provide extra-mural studies for keen, talented pupils and arrange, to the extent possible, for them to be taught in their own commu-nities. This is particularly important for the youngest pupils. In Trondheim, a Saturday school was started in 1986 after some pupils exceeded the limits of ordinary music teaching. Later, similar arrangements were made in Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Bærum, and regional offers are being put together elsewhere in the country.

In 2003, after several national studies were made, a prototype state-funded talent programme, Unge musikere

(“Young musicians”), was started under the auspices of the higher music education institutions. The programme is presumed to be organised as a cooperative undertaking by the schools of music and performing arts and upper second-ary schools. The Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo offers

Unge talenter (“Young Talents”), a programme for young

classical musicians.

The Norwegian Council of Schools of Music and Perform-ing Arts and the Norwegian Music Teachers’ Association together organise the annual Norwegian Music Competition for Youth. Regional events are held in Tromsø, Trondheim, Bergen, Stavanger and Oslo, and the finale is held at the National Academy of Music in Oslo. Talented young classical musicians compete for prizes and the opportunity of taking part in national and international concerts and festivals. White Paper no. 39 Ej blot til Lyst (“Not for pleasure alone”) points to the need for a talent programme in subjects other than music. In some regions, specialisation programmes in dance, drama and visual arts have been established or are in the planning stages. In light of a new report, the possibly of separate classes for specially motivated and talented children at the primary and lower secondary school levels, such as in Finland, is being discussed.

In many countries, admission to schools of music is based on audition with the aim of ensuring places for the most talented applicants. However, in Norway, the schools have open admission without audition, so all applicants on the waiting list are treated equally with no preference for talented children.

This is a dilemma for those sufficiently talented to be the musicians and creative artists of the future.

There are many “Andsneses” and “Tellefsens”* on the waiting lists at the schools of music and performing arts.

Free choice – pupil preferences and motivation

The further development from schools of music to schools of music and performing arts has led to more children acquir-ing an interest in one or more of the arts. In addition to mu-sic, a school may teach dance, visual arts, drama, creative writing and contemporary circus.

The media and commerce strongly influence children’s pref-erences, as do the choices made by friends and classmates. The schools of music and performing arts, parents and the local cultural milieu share the challenge of ensuring the scope of courses offered.

A school of music and performing arts can promote scope by providing curriculum that encourages applications, such as in genre relevant for recruiting to local clubs and associa-tions.

The staff of a school of music and performing arts have an important advisory role for children and parents in guiding individual applicants toward the best choices.

“Don’t give people what they want; they deserve better” (Brigt Jensen).

The pupils in the public arena

Public concerts, exhibitions and performances are an integral part of the curriculum of the schools of music and performing arts, and will, when well arranged, maintain and strengthen the dedication of pupils to their subjects through the school year.

The school of music and performing arts contributes events at venues from large conferences to meetings and happen-ings in collaboration with institutions, organizations and local business. In addition, the schools arrange internal events for the pupils’ parents. Regardless of the occasion, the participating pupils are expected to be well prepared, and the performances are expected to be held in safe environments. The external activities also help make the schools known. National TV shows such as Talentiaden (“Talent Games”)

Kjempesjansen (“Great Chance”) and Godt Musikkår

(“Good Music Year”) and local and national awards such

as Drømmestipendet (“Dream scholarship”) have

publi-cized the schools of music and performing arts and rein-forced their good reputations. National contests, such as the Norwegian Music Competition for Youth run by the Norwe-gian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts and the Norwegian Music Teachers’ Association or the Soloist Competition run by the Norwegian Band Federation afford motivated and talented pupils opportunities to meet profes-sional musicians for mutual inspiration.

Media focus on young talented musicians inspires other pupils. The young musicians featured also are good ambassadors for the schools, clubs and clubs they represent.

A school of music and performing arts is an arena for memorable experiences.

4.5 SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING

ARTS TEACHERS

In many municipalities, the school of music and perform-ing arts is the principal, and sometimes only, workplace for professionals educated in the arts. Teachers at the schools of music and performing arts usually have from four to seven years of higher education in teaching artistic subjects or are suitably trained to teach at both in schools of music and performing arts and in the compulsory schools.

Many performing and creative artists are associated with schools of music and performing arts in lesser part-time positions, including services outsourced and positions combined with other schools. Creative educationalists are sought as teachers at schools of music and performing arts. Many schools of music and performing arts also have staff art therapists who are provide services to other schools and institutions in the municipality. Equivalent salaries for teachers at primary and lower secondary schools and teach-ers at schools of music and performing arts have created a professional community conducive to local cooperation. Even though teaching staff with formal teaching and music qualifications are desirable, many schools of music and performing arts meet their needs for teachers by engaging practicing musicians and artists without formal teaching qualifications. A prerequisite in such cases is that the person hired has the relevant learning and work experience. Within a teaching community, it is important that respect develops for different yet equal competence.

Ideally, a school of music and performing arts should have teachers with various areas of competence:

• “Basic teacher” with expertise in teaching beginners / group teaching

• “Large group specialist” with expertise in ensemble leadership, class teaching, projects and productions • “Talent developer” with expertise as a creative educator / role model

Increasingly more schools of music and performing arts have staff music and art therapists qualified to work with pupils with special physical and psychological needs and who can provide expertise to other institutions and organisations in the municipality.

Qualified staff are essential in a resource centre. Competence development

As a local resource centre, a school of music and performing arts must have leaders and staff who can cooperate with the local cultural milieu, preschools and public schools. This presupposes familiarity with these institutions, including knowledge of their planning, goals and organization, and staff who are capable of interdisciplinary work. In turn, this requires greater commitment to continuing and further edu-cation. According to the Knowledge Promotion Reform in force from the 2007-2008 school year on, as school owners, the municipalities are responsible for competence develop-ment in municipal schools, including schools of music and performing arts.

Combined, full-time positions

Many teachers at the schools of music and performing arts have part-time positions of only a few hours a week. Co-operation with a neighbouring municipality can lead to

combined teaching positions requiring more hours. Within an individual municipality, a staff position at the school of music and performing arts or a primary or lower secondary school may also be combined with a part-time position as a conductor or instructor elsewhere in the municipality. A teacher at the school of music and performing arts remarks that:

“For my wife and I, our working lives changed completely after we both got full-time positions in the municipality. Moreover, our workplaces are here at the school, a build-ing that houses both the primary and lower secondary school and the school of music and performing arts. A considerable part of the teaching at the school of music and performing arts is during normal school hours. Over-all this gives us jobs with social contentment and profes-sional vigour that we believe benefits the pupils.”

Cooperation between municipalities, or between depart-ments or organizations within a municipality, can take place through a school of music and performing arts selling the services of its staff to others, in step with its function as a local resource centre.

Focus on the professional and social environment for teachers

The duties of a teacher at a school of music and performing arts are rewarding but also can be demanding. Many teachers at schools of music and performing arts teach at different schools from day to day and sometimes teach at several places a day. Much of the teaching is outside normal school hours, that is, in the late afternoon or evening. Often the school of music and performing arts teacher is the only adult at school. Consequently, the leaders of a school of music and performing arts must develop worthwhile solutions for the pupils and provide teachers with reasonable workloads.

Relevant measures for a good working environment for teachers include regular weekly office hours, a dual teacher system, teamwork and part of the teaching in central prem-ises. These measures can contribute to job satisfaction and consequently to retaining qualified staff in a municipality.

4.6 SCHOOL ORGANIzATION AND

MANAGEMENT

Organization

On a national basis, the schools of music and performing arts are under the Ministry of Education and Research. In most municipalities, these schools are part of child affairs or the school system. However, in many municipalities, they are part of cultural affairs. Regardless of location within the municipal hierarchy, cultural management in the municipal-ity is germane to a school of music and performing arts. Both locations have advantages; the child affairs and school system location relative to coordination with primary and lower secondary schools and the cultural affairs location relative to other cultural institutions. In municipalities with only two management levels, location is not relevant.

Everyday management

Until now, most managers of schools of music and performing arts have had a background in music. After the schools of music expanded to become schools of music and per-forming arts, managers with other backgrounds will come in, while in some municipalities the managers may have a general school or an arts background. Regardless of the managers’ academic backgrounds, someone in school management should be familiar with the characteristics of the arts taught. Whenever possible, a management team whose members complement each other will ensure a breadth of competence. Head teachers for the various subject groups can also support management.

The manager/rector of a school of music and performing arts should, whenever possible, have a full-time position at the school and have scholastic, human resource and budget responsibilities. The position must allow time for following up the tasks expected of the school of music and performing arts as a local resource centre.

In smaller municipalities, the management of a school of music and performing arts may be organized jointly with other entities. In such cases, the particular expertise in managing such a school must be safeguarded. The school manager should be integrated in a network with other rectors in the municipality and with colleagues in the schools of mu-sic and performing arts in the neighbouring municipalities. A school of music and performing arts often is the only institu-tion of its type in a municipality, so its manager will benefit from cooperation with colleagues in other municipalities. The role of a manger is truly significant, as tough the schools cope with great expectations and national strategies

and plans, they have no set standards or national curricula. This is true both internally within the schools and externally in the schools’ relationships to user groups and local deci-sion makers. Experience has shown that this task requires a strong commitment combined with an ability to convey the value base of the school of music and performing arts to others. “Good ideas and good cases are easier to sell when managers are enthusiastic”. (Politician)

The success of a school of music and performing arts depends on enthusiastic, competent management.

4.7 PREMISES

Like other municipal institutions, a school of music and performing arts needs suitable premises. The require-ments should be outlined in municipal planning and should include administrative offices, workplaces for teachers and good, accessible classrooms.

Most of Norway’s schools of music and performing arts are small. For them, co-localization with a primary or lower secondary school works well, provided that the school of music and performing arts has access to suitable facilities. The advantages include good utilization of space and equip-ment and the creation of a professional and social environ-ment that benefits both parties. The co-location of a school of music and performing arts and a primary or lower sec-ondary school must build on mutual understanding and respect for the character of each type of school.

The school of music and performing arts is one of the main users of a municipality’s venues for concerts, performances and exhibitions. Community halls, concert halls and cul-tural centres are much used and municipalities increasingly co-locate their school of music and performing arts with other cultural institutions or schools in new purpose-built buildings.

Occasional gatherings at a school of music and performing arts are inspiring for pupils, teachers and audiences, be they held in purpose-built premises, practice rooms, a dance or concert hall, a theatre stage or a venue for visual arts. Such gatherings can be stimulating for advanced pupils.

4.8 MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT

Local politicians

Local elected officials set the framework conditions for a mu-nicipal school of music and performing arts. A prominent

school of music and performing arts with firm ideals stands strong in the political processes. The opinions of the school held by the pupils’ parents and the various cultural user groups will strongly influence political prioritization.

Local officials keenly aware of owning a school of music and performing arts usually are aware of the value of its pupils as cultural ambassadors. The pupils may be involved in cultural features in municipal events, represent the municipality in vis-its to sister municipalities, take part in festivals, etc.

The status of a school of music and performing arts is commensurate with how well local officials handle school ownership.

Planning

A school of music and performing arts should be included at all levels of municipal planning, to ensure that it becomes well rooted in the long term. Finances must be predictable to support the time-consuming internal processes of teaching at a school of music and performing arts. Municipal plan-ning should be based on the strategic plan description of the school of music and performing arts as a local resource centre and on the curriculum framework plan.

Municipal commitment

The demonstration schools of music and performing arts were designated priority areas in the municipalities in which they were located, as expressed in various manners:

Tolga is small, with a population of about 1700. The resi-dents and the decision makers all are neighbours living close to each other. As in many other small municipalities, de-population is a challenge. In such an environment, a school of music and performing arts acquires an additional aspect: We understand the importance of the school of music and performing arts to the future of the municipality. We ex-pect that by educating children and young people and letting them affiliate with local clubs and associations will lead to many returning here after being away to study elsewhere. (Town Manager and Deputy Mayor of Tolga)

In Trondheim’s municipal plan, culture and knowledge are priority areas. The municipality wishes to expand the op-portunities for children to develop innovative and creative abilities, in part through further expansion of the municipal school of music and performing arts.

Regardless of their social status, economic level and cultural affiliation, all children in Trondheim shall have an equal right to a place at the school of music and performing arts.

(Trondheim City Council, 2009)

The Time municipal plan (2009-2012) points to the strategic plan as a beacon for the development of its school of music and performing arts:

The school of music and performing arts shall be a fully worthy local resource centre by working resolutely accord-ing to national strategies for art and culture in education. The Municipality of Larvik is an old industrial community. Surveys have shown that the standard of living of the central population in the old part of Larvik is below the national average. Many resourceful people have left the municipality. Municipal officials believe that the school of music and per-forming arts and cultural activities comprise a tool in social development that will help reverse that trend.

“Giving the young people steadiness through the school of music and performing arts is a preventive measure and promotes a positive development of the entire urban

community.” (The Mayor of Larvik)

A school of music and performing arts is an investment for today and tomorrow.

The town manager

The nature of municipal administration affects the develop-ment of a school of music and performing arts. Political deci-sions are constrained by municipal procedures and budgets. The elected officials of the municipalities in which the dem-onstration schools were located point to these constraints, even though they and the municipal administrators on the whole agreed on the importance of the school of music and performing arts.