A demonstration in front of the Finnish Parliament gathered on Wednesday around 500 citizens who were expressing concern at the diminishing instruction of artistic subjects including music, the visual arts, and handicraft provided by the Finnish education system. This was apparently the first demonstration that has ever been arranged on behalf of aesthetic education in this country.
The demonstrators were carrying dozens of banners and placards saying "For arts subjects at comprehensive school! Without culture you are just a machine". The slogans pointed out that it takes more than just studies of foreign languages and mathematics to develop competitiveness for the country.
The demonstration had been organised by the students of the the University of Art and Design Helsinki and the Sibelius Academy. They are concerned about the decreasing share of aesthetic subjects at schools and universities.
The idea was born about four weeks ago. Moreover, the demonstration also prompted a petition that has been on the Internet for around a week.
On Wednesday, the online petition had already gathered over 16,000 signatures. The aim is to hand in the list to the Ministry of Education, the Finnish National Board of Education, and Parliament.
Even art associations and unions have made petitions of their own.
