This paper examines contemporary challenges in providing relevant and quality Visual Arts education in the Primary school setting in Australia. To that end, implications and issues surrounding an effective Visual Arts education delivered by generalist teachers are discussed. Based upon the growing field of research, it is also argued that a robust Arts education is crucial for 21st century learners, never before more vital than in the current economic, technological and social milieux. It is suggested that in the current climate of high-stakes testing and standardisation, an education in the Arts and through the Arts can reform education in ways that attend to the needs of our children as well as to the prevailing political demands regarding creativity and innovation.
A man paints with his brain, and not his hands - Michelangelo