Group 6: The Arts

Visual Arts, Theatre

The IB Diploma Programme visual arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers.

In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media.

The course is designed for students who want to go on to further study of visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts. The role of visual arts teachers should be to actively and carefully organize learning experiences for the students, directing their study to enable them to reach their potential and satisfy the demands of the course. Students should be empowered to become autonomous, informed and skilled visual artists.

The aims of the arts subjects are to enable students to:

1. enjoy lifelong engagement with the arts
2. become informed, reflective and critical practitioners in the arts
3. understand the dynamic and changing nature of the arts
4. explore and value the diversity of the arts across time, place and cultures
5. express ideas with confidence and competence
6. develop perceptual and analytical skills.

In addition, the aims of the visual arts course at SL and HL are to enable students to:

7. make artwork that is influenced by personal and cultural contexts
8. become informed and critical observers and makers of visual culture and media
9. develop skills, techniques and processes in order to communicate concepts and ideas

Theatre is a practical subject that encourages discovery through experimentation, risk-taking and the presentation of ideas. The IB DP theatre course is multifaceted and gives students the opportunity to actively engage in theatre as creators, designers, directors and performers. It emphasizes working both individually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble.

The teacher’s role is to create opportunities that allow students to explore, learn, discover and collaborate to become autonomous, informed and skilled theatre-makers. Students learn to apply research and theory to inform and to contextualize their work. Through researching, creating, preparing, presenting and critically reflecting on theatre, they gain a richer understanding of themselves, their community and the world.

Students experience the course from contrasting artistic and cultural perspectives. They learn about theatre from around the world, the importance of making theatre with integrity, and the impact that theatre can have on the world. It enables them to discover and engage with different forms of theatre across time, place and culture, promoting international-mindedness and an appreciation of the diversity of theatre.

The aims of all DP arts subjects are to enable students to:

1. enjoy lifelong engagement with the arts
2. become informed, reflective and critical practitioners in the arts
3. understand the dynamic and changing nature of the arts
4. explore and value the diversity of the arts across time, place and cultures
5. express ideas with confidence and competence
6. develop perceptual and analytical skills

In addition, the aims of the HL theatre course are to enable students to:

7. explore theatre in a variety of contexts and understand how these contexts inform practice (theatre in context)
8. understand and engage in the processes of transforming ideas into action (theatre processes)
9. develop and apply theatre production, presentation and performance skills, working both independently and collaboratively (presenting theatre)
10. understand and appreciate the relationship between theory and practice (theatre in context, theatre processes, presenting theatre).