UNESCO promotes Arts Education Week 2026 in Chile, highlighting the value of art in holistic education

Under the theme "Affective Landscapes", Arts Education Week (SEA) 2026 will take place from 12 to 16 May, as an international celebration promoted by UNESCO that fosters art as an essential component of educational processes and the holistic development of children and young people.

Within this global framework, SEA activities in Chile promote the exercise of cultural rights, participation and the building of more connected communities through meaningful artistic experiences. Across the country, schools, cultural spaces and community-based organizations will join the celebration with activities that place creation, learning and connection with the surrounding environment at the centre.

This year's edition will be dedicated to the memory of Claudio Di Girolamo, artist and cultural promoter, in recognition of his contribution to strengthening arts education in Chile and his vision of the role of art in the formation of individuals and communities.

The 2026 theme, "Affective Landscapes", invites participants to understand territories through a sensitive dimension, as spaces where memories, emotions and identities intertwine. In this way, landscapes are not only observed, but lived and transformed into a shared experience that strengthens community bonds.

Among the main highlights of the programme is the 3rd International Meeting on Education, Art and Culture "Weaving Knowledge", which will take place at the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Centre (GAM). This space will bring together experiences and practices from Chile and Latin America through seminars, dialogue panels, artistic interventions and training activities aimed at teachers and cultural mediators.

The programme also includes collective interventions such as GAM Square "Affective Landscapes", exhibitions mediated by children and young people, and workshops that promote collaborative learning and creative expression.

"Arts Education Week is an invitation for children and young people to explore the world through creation and imagination. In 2026, Chile once again shows how art can generate meaningful experiences of learning and connection between communities," said Esther Kuisch Laroche, of the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago.