Interdisciplinary and Global Approaches to Arts Appreciation

Contemporary visual and performing artists have increasingly turned to interdisciplinary forms and global crossfertilization in the development of artistic work. Those who are both arts educators and practitioners recognize the significant role the arts play in fostering global understanding, as well as the importance of educating future audiences to comprehend and appreciate the connections across aesthetic disciplines. In response to these trends, Kennesaw State University's arts appreciation faculty have chosen to feature interdisciplinary and global learning components as central ingredients in course design and delivery. In a panel prepared for the International Symposium on the Arts in Society, three KSU professors who design the arts appreciation courses in music, theatre/performance studies, and visual art presented a spectrum of student projects, audience-interactive arts events, and assessment instruments that foster interdisciplinary and global learning.