INTRODUCTION
Civic Education Through Performing Arts
A Public Pedagogy Initiative
Dr. Jack Tierney, Coordinator
Democracy depends on an informed and engaged citizenry. Yet many Americans have only a limited understanding of the institutions, principles, and responsibilities that make democratic government possible. Traditional civic education has focused primarily on schools and classrooms. But democracy is not practiced only by students. It is practiced by adults, in communities, workplaces, public institutions, and everyday life. How, then, do we reach adults who are no longer in school? And how do we make civic education something people want to experience rather than something they feel obligated to study?
One promising approach is public pedagogy, the practice of creating opportunities for learning outside formal educational settings.
The performing arts offer particularly exciting possibilities. Theater, music, humor, and storytelling can engage audiences emotionally and intellectually, encouraging curiosity, reflection, conversation, and a deeper understanding of civic life. This initiative proposes to explore and develop performing arts as a means of civic education, beginning with An American Musical, an original musical about democracy, as a demonstration project.
Our immediate goal is to assemble a small, interdisciplinary development team to help design a practical implementation plan, identify potential partners, explore funding opportunities, and develop a model that could eventually be adapted by other communities.