Visual arts (SL/HL)

Visual arts are an integral part of our daily lives. They have social, political, ritual, spiritual, decorative and functional values. The theories and practices of visual arts are dynamic and ever-changing, connecting different areas of knowledge and human experience. Visual arts enable us to make sense of the world, to explore our place within it, and to transform our individual and collective ways of being in and with the world.

In this visual arts course (First Assessment 2027), students learn how to create, communicate and connect as artists. 

Students engage in creative practices and processes working with a variety of art-making forms and creative strategies, and learn art-making as inquiry. Teachers and students can adapt the curriculum to their unique contexts, interests and passions. Together, they are invited to transform the classroom into a contemporary visual arts studio. This becomes a collaborative, inclusive, creative and conceptually rich space where students develop their art through personal lines of inquiry guided by artistic intentions. 

The course encourages students to engage with the world through individual and shared experiences, imagination and action, and it fosters creativity, communication, critical thinking and collaboration—skills essential in a variety of rapidly evolving fields and professions. The syllabus supports learning through authentic art-making experiences and student choice, encouraging teachers to support their students in becoming progressively more independent art practitioners. 

Teaching and learning of conceptual and material skills and methods allow students to think and work like artists. During the course they develop a personal visual language and learn to communicate artistic intentions to different audiences, connecting with the work of other artists and considering the significance of context(s). Students learn that by making art they are empowered to engage, transform and emerge, both as individuals and as members of a community. These positive and creative approaches will stay with students after they complete the course, enriching any of their future pursuits.