Arts for Joy’s Sake? An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Arts Education in China’s Secondary Schools

• In Event: Arts based educational reserch and critical care

Abstract

Amid rising global expectations that arts education can promote creativity, cultural identity, and social cohesion, its actual impact in Chinese school settings often remains marginal.Based on interviews and non-participant observations in two suburban secondary schools in Xiamen, this study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to examine how participants perceive and practice arts education. Findings reveal persistent structural marginalisation, yet teachers show strong agency by adapting practices to reclaim creative space.While principals emphasize moral development and alignment with national values, teachers highlight emotional expression, self-confidence, and stress relief as key benefits.These contrasting views underscore tensions between policy ideals and lived realities. Ultimately, the most visible impacts of arts education emerge in its affective and informal roles within schools.

Authors

• Ruini Huang, Ghent University

• Yuxin Cao, Tsinghua University

• Kris Rutten, Universiteit Gent