General Infomation
Hyvinkää Art School for Children and Young People, maintained by the City of Hyvinkää, provides after-school-hours basic art education in visual arts for children and young people in Hyvinkää. Progressive and goal-orientated studies, tied to a national curriculum of basic art education and regulated by the Finnish National Agency for Education, form a solid foundation for further visual art studies and related activities. In Hyvinkää Art School an advanced syllabus is followed, and the fields of visual culture are studied widely — from drawing to computer animation and from sculpture to robot building, not to mention art history. Tuitions vary from 140 € to 160 € depending on the amount of lessons. The annual enrolling takes place in the end of May.
The Art School is located in Villa Arttu, the Cultural Centre for Children and Youth at Hyvinkää Villatehdas (Old Wool Factory). Villa Arttu is a unique place for young culture to take place as it houses the Art Centre for Children and Youth and Taito Etelä-Suomi craft and design school, too.
Structure of the Studies
Students work in groups of 8-10 pupils depending on pupil’s age. The groups meet once a week in the afternoons and evenings for two or three lessons at a time. The school organizes intensive short courses during the weekends, too. The Art School enrols over 300 students, and employs a headmaster, three permanent teachers and about ten part-time teachers, all trained professionals in their fields.
The curriculum comprehends early childhood education, core studies I-III (500 lessons) and specialised studies (800 lessons). The following fields of art are practised: animation, cartoon, ceramics, drawing, painting, photographing, printing, sculpture, and video.
Early childhood art education
(vk 1-3, 4-6 -years, 2 x 45 min/week, 200 h)
Early childhood art education emphasizes learning art skills by experiment and playa. Child’s innate curiosity and imagination are enhanced and perception skills are practised using all senses. Children rehearse not only to look but to truly see. Different materials and media are introduced, and the world of art is studied in exhibitions and art museums, too.
Core studies I
(po 1-3, 7-9 -years, 2 x 45 min/week, 200 h)
These studies focus on the essentials of picture making that form the basis of visual thinking and expression. The aim is to provide children with experiences revealing the nature and diversity of visual expression.
Core studies II
(po 4-6, 10-13 -years, 3 x 45 min/week, 300 h)
Core studies II comprehend four to five periods of different art fields, e.g. animation, ceramics, cartoon, drawing and painting. Long-term projects, often tied to a specific content, are favoured and the teachers utilise the possibility to cooperate with each other.
Core studies III
(13 -years, 3 x 45min/week, 300 h)
To begin these studies, the pupils choose an art field or fields of their best interest and during the studies they deepen their knowledge and skills acquired earlier. The pupils are encouraged to explore various fields of art. The focus of the studies is in the more controlled work process achieved by practicing skills in planning, expression, assessing and analysing.
Specialised studies
(15-20 -years, 3 x 45min/week, 500 h)
During the specialised studies the pupils increase their knowledge and hone their skills acquired in the core studies. They widen their views in general or focus on a particular art field, and they are expected to define their own goals. Complementary studies, like an extra workshop or some short courses, supplement the studies.