Rolf Laven wurde mit dem diesjährigen internationalen Edwin-Ziegfeld-Award 2024 in Minneapolis in den USA ausgezeichnet.

Beim Empfang im Rektorat an der PH Wien und dem Austausch über die vielfältigen Facetten der Ästhetischen Bildung bekräftigte Rolf Laven weiterhin seinen Einsatz in Forschung und Lehre in der Kunstpädagogik, wie seine Rede bei der Preisverleihung verdeutlicht:

The Speech for the Awarding of the 2024 Edwin Ziegfeld Award in Minneapolis: The USSEA Worldwide Prize for ‘New Directions in Art Education’

Respected guests, esteemed colleagues! 

Alike you, I admire AI….

I admire AI, I am the biggest fan of AI! 

AI stands for…. ARTSITIC Intelligence!

Respected guests, esteemed colleagues! 

It is an extraordinary honor to stand before you, accepting the Edwin Ziegfeld Award 2024 at this prestigious event, the NAEA Congress emphasizing: ‘New Directions in Art Education’. 

This award honors individuals in art and aesthetic education who, like InSEA’s first president, Edwin Ziegfeld, aimed to pioneer new paths in art education. Edwin Ziegfeld (born in 1905) incorporates innovation, leadership, and a profound commitment to art and its role in education. His relentless drive to advance art education has inspired generations of teachers and students.

Being associated with such a visionary thinker is deeply moving and motivating. This award is not only an honor but also an inspiration and a promise – a mandate – to continue the path of innovation and inspiration in art education. 

Personally, the Edwin Ziegfeld Award represents the recognition of my current work as well as the commission to pursue the journey of innovation and inspiration in art education. I know – I am convinced – that through close collaboration, we can lead art education into a future as colorful, diverse, and dynamic as art itself.

In our fast-paced world, dominated by technological, social, and cultural changes, we, artists and art educators, face unique challenges and opportunities. 

So – what is our mission concerning art education? 

Our mission is…. to equip young people with needed skills and creative thinking. Critical thinking! 

Creative and critical thinking as the necessity to not just thrive in this world but to actively shape it, now more than ever! And the keys…? The keys for our vision are: innovation in pedagogy, promoting international collaborations, and developing new research-approaches.

Dear guests and colleagues… As a representative and World Councillor Europe of InSEA, I am particularly proud to participate in this significant congress and present the Ziegfeld Lecture. This event offers a valuable exchange of experiences and knowledge. Together – together we explore new directions in art education, and advance art education globally.  

Today – art education faces unique challenges and opportunities. The “new directions in art education” are diverse, ranging from innovative teaching methods to international collaborations and new research-approaches. Our goal is to transcend boundaries, our goal is to challenge traditional thinking, our goal is to redefine the role of art in society!

Art. Art is not just a medium of expression but also a mean to promote empathy. 

Art forms a bridge between cultures. Art fosters critical thinking and creativity. Art is an essential and uniting element in the development of holistic education!

Receiving the Edwin Ziegfeld Award signifies not just a personal honor for my past work but symbolizes the importance and power of art education to shape a fairer, more understanding, and creative society. It is a call to all of us to promote and develop artistic education as an essential element of human development and social progress. By committing to these principles, we honor the legacy of Edwin Ziegfeld, Franz Cizek, Victor Löwenfeld, John Dewey, and many other pioneers of art education. 

In this spirit, I would like to use this moment to emphasize the importance of our continued commitment as a community of art educators, artists, researchers, and educational practitioners to make art and its teaching accessible,inclusive, low-threshold, participatory, and relevant to the challenges of our time. 

Let us work together.

Let us develop platforms and programs which foster intercultural understanding and global cooperation.

Let us sharpen critical and creative thinking skills. 

Let us challenge and reshape established educational norms with joint courage.

Dearest colleagues! Every single contribution, every single research or dedicated project in art education is part of this immense and beautiful mosaic OF SUCH EMPOWERMENT.

We strive to not only engage our students, but society itself. In the last decade I aimed to realize such inspiring projects – to put such projects in practice. Addressing values such as respect and generosity, exchanging ideas and resources are integral parts of my artistic practices. 

At the same time, I am – I stay a student myself, fascinated by art as a gatekeeper. One of those gatekeepers is Urban Art, often associated with street art. My personal approach to art includes urban spaces as platforms for committed art. Tackling themes of inequality, urban decay, and social injustices, striving to denounce these issues, striving to foster a dialogue within the community – those are my goals. 

Communications and interactions within the neighborhood or collaboration with local associations are the engine for societal impact and change. Urban Art is a potent medium for committed art: Visibility and accessibility in urban areas reach out to everyone. Landscapes become a canvas for artists. In my projects´ outcomes and our joint vision, I see the impactful resonance with the viewers. Through my artistic practices, especially my sculptures, I strive to show how creativity can transcend the bounds of traditional art. How art becomes a force for advocacy and transformation. 

We all actively create this world. And this is what connects us: The will and passion to a profound appreciation for the beauty and diversity of human experience. 

Skills, knowledge, social responsibility, empathy – those are few examples which stress the need for inclusive approaches in art.

Artistic expression embodies committed art – our self-expression. Art is an aesthetic and intellectual pursuit, embedding, portraying, questioning itself deeply in societal, environmental, or ethical issues.

Let us, therefore, seize this opportunity together to boldly advance our visions and practices of art education. Let us build bridges which not only connect knowledge and cultures but also open hearts and minds. We will – we are going to – create a world that appreciates art, that recognizes art as an essential mean for education, understanding, and social change. 

I express my deepest gratitude to my colleagues, mentors, and everyone who has supported me on my journey. Dearest Fatih Benzer, dearest Mara Pierce, I am grateful for your companionship, our inspiring co-working and cooperation, and your friendship. Without your support, commitment, and inspiration, I would not be here today. 

I want to thank all of you – for your attention, your commitment to art education, and for your ongoing inspiration. 

I am filled with honor and excitement to inspire and support the next generation of art educators alongside all of you. 

And now, I look forward to the discussions, the exchange of ideas, and the collaboration in the coming days!

Let us work together to shape a future. A future where art and education go hand in hand to enrich and transform our world.

Thank you!