Theoretical concepts are important in contemporary art practice. The ongoing and fascinating discussion of exactly what role theory should play, and the influence of theory on art practice, are at the heart of this collection. By presenting the seemingly simple question 'Why, what and how theory?' to a range of people who are involved in international art education in the realm of fine art and performing art, this book provides an inventory of current opinions in this area.

What do we mean by theory in the arts, and what role does it play in that sense? Theory appears as an active, transformative, fluid, and communicative element of art practices, and research in the arts in particular. Theory is the fluid that perfuses and connects the territory of fine art and design, as well as other art forms such as music, architecture, writing, moving images, dance, and theatre. At the heart of this publication is the new field of research in theory and the way the ArtEZ T...