The Role of Exhibitions in ART Education in some Selected Senior High Schools in the Bono Ahafo Region of Ghana

Abstract

This study examines the impact of art exhibitions on the teaching, learning, and practice of Art Education in selected Senior High Schools in the Bono Region of Ghana. The study posed two major questions: What is the state of art exhibition practice in the selected schools? What are the emerging roles of art exhibitions in Art Education? The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research designs. The study used a sample size of eighty-one (81) participants from a population of 161 Visual Art students and teachers from three selected schools using the simple random and purposive sampling techniques respectively. On research question one, the study established that the present state of art exhibition practice in the Senior High Schools was constrained due to the uncooperative attitude of school leadership resulting in irregular organization of such events. In relation to research question two, it was found that exhibitions play diverse roles in art education. Among others, art exhibitions serve as lenses through which learning objectives in art education are measured; and that the use of artefacts for exhibitions results in the appreciation of cultural diversity among students; they also harness and develop exhibitors’ research skills and critical thinking. Recommendations for exhibitors, schools, and the Government made include encouraging exhibitors to explore the use of other non-conventional materials in producing art works; setting aside non-academic days such as Saturdays and Sundays for exhibitions; and encouraging art students to inculcate artists’ statement during exhibition of their artworks to enhance their writing skills and self-reflection respectively.