DEFINING THE ROLE OF MUSEUMS AND NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS IN INTEGRATING ART EDUCATION AND ARTISTS

Abstract

The study discusses the role of museums and non-profit organisations in India in integrating art education with the practical and professional needs of artists. It situates contemporary art education within the history of colonial education and examines the imposition of Western artistic values, the marginalisation of indigenous practices and the later development of modern and contemporary art education after independence. The approach of the study is qualitative, historical, theoretical, comparative with the use of two institutional case studies, the City Palace, Jaipur and the Public Artists’ Trust of India (PATI). The article explores how institutional practices extend learning beyond traditional academic training, drawing on interviews with curatorial professionals and PATI Director Emma Sumner. The results show that museums can be educational spaces through exhibitions, conservation, digitisation, documentation and interaction with artisans and communities. PATI demonstrates a complementary non-profit model that focuses on public access, mentorship, production support, practical learning, networking and co-creation. The case studies suggest that museums and non-profit organisations can bridge the gap between technical education and professional practice through experiential learning, exposure and opportunities for emerging artists and cultural professionals.