Art education in China since 1978: A report card

This research reveals that art education in elementary and secondary schools in China has changed dramatically since 1978, and those changes have been, for the most part, positive. Chinese art education can be separated into three periods: prior to 1966; 1966- 1976; and 1978-present day. During the different dynasties and periods prior to 1966, art education existed in different forms. Art education was nearly terminated during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), the most chaotic period in China’s history. In 1978, with the Chinese Economic Reform, started by Deng Xiaoping, and the opening of trade with the outside world, which resulted in a rich exchange of ideas, China’s position on education changed radically. It began to hold a series of meetings to determine the state of K-12 education and art education in China. Since 1978, the method of art teaching no longer follows the old teaching model that emphasized skill and copying in painting and drawing. This study details the evolution of changes in K-12 art education in China since 1978 up until present day.