WATCH: Arts education comes under fire from all quarters but what do those actually in the tertiary art system think about it - and their prospects of entering the industry?
This video is made with the support of NZ on Air Public Interest Journalism Fund.
The state of arts education in Aotearoa is hotly debated - is it supported enough? Is there enough critical thought? Does all that theory prepare them for 'the real world'?
Many are posing questions but few are asking those who matter - those at the heart of the tertiary sector, the students.
The next generation of artists deserves a voice. The Big Idea went to their turf so they could open up on their experiences and expectations of the industry they're training to make their name in.
Students Jeorja Duffy (Ngāti Kurī), Nikita Hesketh, Sav Mattyasovszky and Jacob Cook (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga) are all deep into their visual art studies at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) at various stages, while photographer Tahlay Christie has commenced her post academic career.
So we let them tell us what they think, and what the sector should hear.