| This historical study dealt with the educational program of the Federal Art Project of the Works Projects Administration (WPA/FAP) during a period from August, 1935 - April, 1943. The writer sought to determine the possible influences of these projects upon the field of Art Education, and drew inferences from the material gathered concerning present and future Federal aid to art education. The search methodology included an examination of selected documents from the Archives of American Art and the National Archives.;It was concluded that the impact of the education program of the FAP was limited by the brevity of its existence and the inchoate form of its projects. However, the FAP made important achievements in several areas and consequently should occupy an important place in the history of art education. Among them was the development of a series of innovative projects including the Design Laboratory, a community art center program on a national scale, and a number of experiments in art therapy. The FAP also gave national currency to the progressive approach to teaching art.;An examination of both the FAP and the issues surrounding the current debate on the proper role of the Federal Government in art education led to the conclusion that a centralized policy and planning body, backed by the appropriate machinery to implement its program, has the potential to facilitate the growth of art education on a national scale. However, this optimistic assessment should be balanced by the recognition of the fact that this type of organization could become subject to influences inimical to its purpose and would have to resist pressures from constituencies attempting to impress their own stamp upon it. It was also concluded that for government to make an effective contribution to the field of art education, policy and planning must reflect local needs, goals, and aspirations. |
