A journey of creating art together and, through that, creating a supportive, inspiring and joyful Arctic collaborations.
We hope these guidelines will support you in planning and carrying out sustainable and inspiring Arctic art education projects.
Elements of an AAE Project Plan
The project plan, prepared at the beginning of the process, brings together all the essential elements of the project, including intentions, purposes, and working methods. The plan also justifies the relevance and significance of the project. The aim is to ensure that all participants and collaborators understand the project’s goals and ways of working—and share a common vision and language when discussing it.
A solid foundation for project planning includes familiarisation with the location, Land, involved communities, community leaders and know-holders, and, where necessary, relevant stakeholders and socio-cultural realities of the region. When AAE projects are designed by international teams, it is common that the mapping of knowledge is based on many kinds of publications such as maps, books and museums. Whenever possible and appropriate, the planning phase includes visits to key locations and meetings with community partners. These interactions, often carried out by the project partner living in the region closest to the local community, provide opportunities for dialogue, helping to clarify wishes, needs, and shared objectives.
It is essential to remember that in Arctic contexts, communities—predominantly Indigenous or local ones—are not only stakeholders but holders of unique knowledge systems. These systems may guide the project’s ethical, methodological, and creative directions. Respect for local leadership and self-determination is a foundational principle of all Arctic Art Education projects.
A good understanding of the project’s thematic content requires a multidisciplinary approach. This process is similar to research, where prior studies, existing projects, and theoretical frameworks provide insight and guidance. The online AAE project presentation catalogue includes comprehensive collections of previous AAE experiments. The project team shares these learning tasks, agreeing on intermediate deadlines to present and gather findings. Often, the planning phase accounts for up to one-third of the total project workload.
Well-planned and contextually appropriate artistic activity is at the heart of the AAE project, enabling site-specific, situational, and phenomenon-based learning.
The project plan should outline the team’s views on learning and art—for example, in terms of equality, inclusion, accessibility and decolonisation—as well as ecological, social, and cultural sustainability. The plan also needs to reflect sensitivity towards the Arctic context, including the seasonal rhythms, ecological constraints, Indigenous knowledge systems, and the lived realities of local communities. Recognising the ongoing impacts of colonial histories and extractive industries in the Arctic is essential for ensuring that the project avoids cultural appropriation and promotes ethical collaboration.
PROJECT TITLE
The title should clearly and concisely capture the nature and idea of the project, making it easy to refer to in communication. If necessary, an acronym or abbreviation may also be created.
WHAT
Summarize the project’s main idea and purpose: what will be done, with whom, when, and where?
WHERE
Describe the location(s) where the project will take place. Justify the choice of location, considering its opportunities and potential challenges. Will the project—or parts of it—be conducted online or remotely?
WHO
List the members of the project team and outline possible areas of responsibility. For example, responsibilities for documentation or communications may be assigned to specific team members.
WITH WHOM
Identify the organizations and individuals involved in the project and describe their roles. Name experts, supporters, or funders, and clarify their contributions and interests. It is essential to clearly outline the goals, expectations, and motivations of all partners.
SCHEDULE
Plan and outline the timeline: when does the project start and end, and what are the intermediate milestones when certain sub-goals should be achieved?
WHY
Justify the project’s relevance from both community, environmental and Arctic perspectives. Explain why this project is meaningful for the development of Arctic art education, Arctic sustainability, and your personal and professional growth. The rationale should address a specific challenge that the project responds to—or a vision of new possibilities it opens up. Consider how the project acknowledges and supports the cultural sovereignty of Arctic peoples and communities and how it contributes to the decolonisation of knowledge, practices, and representations.
GOALS
Define a central goal: what kind of impact does the project aim to achieve? This may involve revitalising cultural heritage, animating ecocultural traditions, empowering communities and making public artworks. Goals might also include supporting intergenerational knowledge transfer, honouring storytelling traditions, or fostering respectful relationships with the Land. When setting goals, consider the community’s visions for their future—not just the project team’s assumptions. You may also set sub-goals related to knowledge, skills, attitudes, and social learning. Generating discussion and public awareness may also be one of the aims. Goals should be realistic and concrete. If the AAE project is carried out at school, the curriculum may guide goal-setting; in community projects, goals should be shaped through dialogue with the community.
MEANS AND WORKING PRACTICES
Describe the practical methods to be used: what will be done, and how? Careful planning of methods, working practices, and content increases flexibility in practice. Describe the practical techniques to be used: what will be done, and how? Careful planning of methods, working practices, and content increases flexibility in practice. In Arctic projects, methods may also need to be adjusted to local seasonal conditions (e.g., light, weather, migration patterns) and cultural protocols (e.g., times for community gatherings or ceremonies). Participatory and co-creative approaches are often recommended to ensure that the community’s voice shapes not only the outcomes but also the process itself. In larger projects, methods may be organised into so-called “work packages” to break the project into manageable parts.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Briefly describe the key theories related to art and learning that inform the project and introduce relevant concepts. Justify the project idea and working methods by referencing previous Arctic art projects and relevant research in Arctic art education. Read more about the theoretical background below.
PLAN FOR EXPLORING PLACE AND SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT
A variety of methods can be employed to explore the chosen location and its ecocultural context, including multisensory observation, site-specific artistic activities, interviews, and digital tools. In the framework of AAE projects, the notion of “community” is understood broadly, encompassing human inhabitants and more-than-human beings, environments, and material agencies. Read more of this phase below.
EXPECTED RESULTS AND IMPACTS
Evaluate the potential results and impacts of the project as an extension of its goals. Consider why this project is important. In art education, especially in rural Arctic communities, outcomes are often more qualitative than quantitative. Reflect on the anticipated effects on participants, the local community, and the environment. The project’s impact may extend beyond its immediate scope, influencing future activities or perceptions of Arctic art and Arctic art education.
COMMUNICATION
Communication is central to increasing the accessibility and impact of the project’s actions and outcomes. A communication plan outlines guidelines for both external communications and internal interaction, including principles for creating a safer space. The team should agree on communication practices, such as channels and meeting schedules. Some communication targets local communities and stakeholders, while other communication addresses broader audiences via media platforms. Specify who communicates what, to whom, and when. Use appropriate tools and media. Read more on communication guidelines below.
BUDGET AND FUNDING PLAN
Outline the project’s anticipated costs and available resources. List the facilities, equipment, and tools available to you.
SUSTAINABILITY
Reflect on the sustainability dimensions of the project. Does the project contribute to sustainability transformations and does it impact on social or cultural sustainability
DOCUMENTATION PLAN
Who is responsible for documentation? What will be documented, how, and for what purpose? Clarify consent for photography, video, and potential research use. Formal agreements may be necessary if materials are to be published. Think about the kind of materials to produce: will there be a publication, an exhibition, an online presentation, or social media content? This will guide what is recorded and when.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Briefly describe the key theories related to art and learning that inform the project and introduce relevant concepts. Justify the project idea and working methods by referencing previous Arctic art projects and relevant research in Arctic art education. Read more about the theoretical background below.
PLAN FOR EXPLORING PLACE AND SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT
A variety of methods can be employed to explore the chosen location and its ecocultural context, including multisensory observation, site-specific artistic activities, interviews, and digital tools. In the framework of AAE projects, the notion of “community” is understood broadly, encompassing human inhabitants and more-than-human beings, environments, and material agencies. Read more of this phase below.
EXPECTED RESULTS AND IMPACTS
Evaluate the potential results and impacts of the project as an extension of its goals. Consider why this project is important. In art education, especially in rural Arctic communities, outcomes are often more qualitative than quantitative. Reflect on the anticipated effects on participants, the local community, and the environment. The project’s impact may extend beyond its immediate scope, influencing future activities or perceptions of Arctic art and Arctic art education.
Take a closer look at the stages of project planning
May these guidelines encourage you to create art education projects that are meaningful, decolonial and sustainable.
Explore Place and Socio-Cultural Context
In the framework of AAE projects, the notion of “community” is understood broadly, encompassing human inhabitants and more-than-human beings, environments, and material agencies. This approach encourages considering how humans, more-than-humans, and their surroundings co-shape and influence one another within ecocultures.
If physical presence at the location is not possible in the initial phases, remote and digital methods can be used creatively, such as engaging with local social media groups or conducting online participatory mapping. The project plan should clearly describe the chosen methods, intended participants (human and/or more-than-human), schedule, and forms for presenting the results. Outcomes may take various formats, including text, images, video works, installations, or web platforms.
Preliminary exploration is crucial as it helps articulate the project’s relevance and refine its scope. In ecocultural and community-based projects, meaningful directions often emerge from dialogue and attentive intra-action with the local context — including the landscapes, ecosystems, species, and human actors involved. Therefore, sensitivity to place and an openness to unexpected forms of interaction are essential for responsible and responsive project design.
Decolonial Research as a Foundation for AAE Projects
It is essential to engage with research literature specifically grounded in Arctic art and art education. Such literature provides culturally and environmentally relevant perspectives that reflect the unique conditions, values, and worldviews of Arctic communities. Relying solely on global or mainstream art education sources would risk overlooking or misrepresenting these specific contexts. By reading Arctic scholarship, you will gain a deeper understanding of local practices and knowledge systems and contribute to the decolonisation of research and education by valuing regionally rooted ways of knowing, making, and teaching.
Concepts and literature worth visiting include: Arctic art and design practices, Land-Based Education, decolonisation, eco-cultural resilience, and community-based art education frameworks. Relevant authors may include Arctic Indigenous scholars, Northern cultural theorists, and artists whose work emerges from the specific contexts of the Circumpolar North. Incorporating such theoretical grounding helps the project to resist extractive or outsider-driven perspectives and instead supports place-sensitive, culturally sustaining, and ethically grounded artistic and educational practices.
- The book series Relate North has been published annually since 2014 to identify and share contemporary and innovative practices in teaching, learning, research, and knowledge exchange in the fields of arts, design, and visual culture education in the North.
- Education in the North is a journal that publishes research findings, comments and critiques on all aspects of education. This includes formal and informal educational settings, as well as compulsory, community, further, or higher education, and allied professions such as psychology, social work, and librarianship.
Key literature on concepts of New Genre Arctic Art and New Genre Arctic Art Education includes:
- Jokela, T., Berliner, P., & Manninen, A. (2024). Introduction: Creating Sustainability Portraits in the Arctic. In T. Jokela, P. Berliner, & A. Manninen (Eds.), Creating Arctic Sustainability Portraits (300 ed., pp. 8-12). Lapin yliopisto. https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20241209100493
- Jokela, T., Manninen, A., & Berliner, P. (2024). Introduction: a journey with new genre Arctic art. In T. Jokela, A. Manninen, & P. Berliner (Eds.), Mapping the New Genre Arctic Art Education (pp. 8-13). Lapin yliopisto. https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2024120599888
- Jokela T. & Hiltunen M., (2024). New genre Arctic art education as a way of knowing with the North. In T. Jokela T., M. Huhmarniemi & C Burnett (Eds.), Relate North: New Genre Arctic Art Education beyond Borders. (pp. 12-37). InSEA Publications.
- Jokela, T. & Huhmarniemi, M. (2022). Arctic art education in changing nature and culture. Education in the North, 29(2), 4–27. https://doi.org/10.26203/55f2-1c04
- Jokela, T., Huhmarniemi, M., Beer, R. & Soloviova, A. (2021). Mapping new genre Arctic art. In L. Heininen; H. Exner-Pirot & J. Barnes (eds.), Arctic Yearbook 2021: Defining and mapping sovereignties, policies and perceptions. Arctic Portal. https://arcticyearbook.com/arctic-yearbook/2021/2021-scholarly-papers/400-mapping-new-genre-arctic-art
- Ruotsalainen, J. (2024). Discursive frameworks of Arctic art. Arctic Yearbook 2024 – Arctic Relations: Transformations, Legacies and Futures. https://arcticyearbook.com/arctic-yearbook/2024/2024-scholarly-papers/526-discursive-frameworks-of-arctic-art
Communicating AAE Project
In Arctic contexts, communication must be designed with special attention to linguistic, cultural, and geographical considerations. Local and Indigenous languages may play a crucial role in ensuring that messages are accessible and meaningful to community members. Whenever possible, consider producing key communication materials (such as posters, invitations, or project summaries) in local languages alongside national or international languages.
Involving community representatives or knowledge holders in shaping communication content can improve cultural relevance and appropriateness. This is especially important when communicating about sensitive cultural topics or local knowledge.
In the North, physical distances and digital connectivity may shape communication choices. Not all Arctic regions have stable or affordable internet access; therefore, traditional and place-based media (such as community radio, village noticeboards, and word-of-mouth via local events) remain valuable tools.
When sharing outcomes externally—such as in exhibitions or publications—ensure that you acknowledge and, where appropriate, obtain consent from community partners whose voices, images, or knowledge are featured. This helps to uphold principles of ethical collaboration, cultural safety, and co-authorship.
Consider how results will be shared after the project ends—in exhibitions, online galleries, publications, or seminars. Artworks and events live on in various forms, including articles, documentation, and memories. Thoughtful communication planning can extend the project’s influence to broader discussions about the role and significance of art and art education. Thoughtful communication planning also contributes to the project’s decolonising potential by ensuring that the community’s perspectives, stories, and interpretations are represented authentically and not overshadowed by outsider narratives. When possible, community members should be invited to co-present results, artworks, or findings, whether in local exhibitions or international forums.
Leverage also the channels of partner organisations and the university to reach relevant audiences. Social media platforms of the ASAD network are offered to expand the communication in the Arctic art and design education networks. You can tag the Instagram account @asad_network (as a collaborator of your post) and @ArcticSustainableArtsAndDesign on Facebook or share in the Arctic Sustainable Arts & Design -Facebook group.
Celebrating the Results of the Project in Arctic Art Education
An AAE project culminates in a meaningful closing phase. As the work progresses, participants often become increasingly committed to the process. Seeing community contribution—whether material, symbolic, or conceptual—can evoke feelings of cultural pride and inspiration. In successful projects with well-crafted outcomes, participants often experience joy, empowerment, increased capability, and a sense of belonging. Through the final artwork or its unveiling, they may literally or symbolically have their voices heard and recognised.
In the university context, students are expected not only to celebrate but also to critically reflect on the learning process, their own and others’ contributions, and the project’s overall progress, artistic quality, and social impact. In AAE, this includes reflecting on how local realities, Arctic ecologies, Indigenous or community-based knowledge systems, and collaborative dynamics shaped the artistic and educational outcomes.
Within the pedagogical model of project-based learning, this final phase is often referred to as a “closure moment”. It includes evaluation, shared reflection, and giving and receiving feedback. This process helps clarify and give meaning to experiences that may only become fully visible and understandable in hindsight—when the creative and collaborative journey can be viewed as a whole.
The goal of an Arctic art project—and the way its quality and effectiveness are measured—often extends beyond the institutional setting. Art seeks to be seen, felt and shared. In Arctic regions, final presentations or celebrations are shaped by the nature of the project, the community’s cultural practices, and the participants’ wishes. These may take the form of artwork unveilings, exhibitions, seminar presentations, public conversations with artistic interventions, seasonal gatherings, village festivals, or other local events.
Such events might welcome families, local residents, community leaders, elders, knowledge keepers, and other relevant audiences. When shared publicly, the value of the artwork increases in the eyes of its creators, and the moment of celebration can strengthen community bonds and shared experiences of success and recognition.
Media—including local newspapers, radio, and social platforms—can be powerful tools for appreciating and amplifying the project. Through increased media visibility, Arctic art and design projects can gain broader recognition and contribute to public discourse on the role of art in sustaining cultures, ecosystems, and traditional ways of life in the North.
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