Written by Spring 2025 AFA Intern Anouk Mignon
When I first dropped off my luggage in New York, I expected a change of scenery and a city full of energy. What I had not anticipated was that this experience would change the way I view art and especially arts education.
The first shock was visual. Here, art is everywhere: on the frescoed walls of Bushwick, in the parks, even on the subway trains. In New York, art is not confined to galleries or cultural institutions, it lives in the streets, interacting with the city and its inhabitants. Accustomed to a more formal French art scene, I was immediately struck by this freedom.
But it was during my internship at Arts For All that I truly came to understand the cultural differences in the way art is taught.
In France, arts education in schools still focuses on technique and cultural heritage. The emphasis is on mastery and the vertical transmission of knowledge: the teacher imparts, the student receives. In New York, through Arts For All, I observed a more participatory approach based on personal expression, experimentation, and trust. The goal is not to produce technically accomplished artists, but to help each person find their own path to self-expression.
This experience taught me two essential things. First, openness: to other definitions of art, to other ways of teaching. Second, confidence: everyone has creativity within them, and it deserves to be heard, supported, and encouraged.
In short, I have come to understand that art can emerge anywhere and that sometimes, its freest forms are the ones that leave the greatest impact.
