Arts

Draft timeline for the development of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts

Curriculum development process for the Australian Curriculum: The Arts

Arts position paper

The development of the Australian Curriculum for the arts begins with a position paper in relation to key matters including the definition of the arts, the organisation of the curriculum and the structure of the curriculum for the senior courses. In developing the position paper for the arts curriculum, ACARA has been assisted by a reference group, which convened in September 2009 and included academics and curriculum, classroom and arts industry experts in the disciplines of dance, drama, music, media and visual arts.

View the composition of the first arts reference group.

Arts initial Advice Paper

ACARA appointed Professor John O’Toole as the lead writer for the development of the Shape Paper for the national arts curriculum. Four arts discipline contributors – Professor Margaret Barrett, Dr Michael Dezuanni, Professor Elizabeth Grierson and Mr Jeffrey Meiners, were also appointed to provide advice and support to Professor O’Toole in drafting the initial Advice Paper for the arts.

A second advisory group was also developed for the arts, to assist the lead writer and discipline contributors in drafting the initial Advice Paper. The advisory group includes arts education and arts discipline academics, national principal’s associations, and peak professional associations, classroom teachers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators, Asia Education Foundation, artists and arts industry representatives.

The initial Advice Paper was made available for consultation at a national forum on 3 May. The national forum included over 150 experts and stakeholders across the arts and education community. 

View Professor O'Toole's short biography

View the details of the arts discipline contributors here.

View the composition of the arts advisory group here.

Following the national forum, the initial Advice Paper will be redrafted to be published as the draft Shape Paper for the arts, which will be available for public consultation for a 10 weeks period. Release of the draft Shape Paper for consultation is scheduled for mid 2010.

Consultation feedback received will be analysed and used to review the draft paper, before it is published as the Shape of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts in the last quarter of 2010. The Shape Paper will guide the writers and advisory panel to draft the national arts curriculum for years K-12.

A draft timeline for the development of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts, is provided above.