PART 3: Involvement of the Community 

The previously mentioned Eurydice study (EACEA, 2009) shows that Romania is not very well positioned in terms of the integration of the arts in the school, in relation to the countries participating in the study, but well positioned for community level events. From the perspective of openness to communication and partnership with the community, in recent years, the Romanian school has taken some steps in mapping the offer of artists and cultural operators, to ensure a better meeting of the educational area with the artistic one. We note the possibility of registration in a database data, accessible to schools, of those who want to propose activities within the program "School differently". The interested parties can choose from that offer what they think would be appropriate for their context. Romania is currently in the process of curricular reform from the perspective of integration key competences, which makes the competence “cultural awareness and expression”. In Romania, only two arts subjects (visual arts and music) are part of the compulsory curriculum, and no other arts subjects are included as optional studies, decisions related to cross-curricular links are taken by schools.

Arts and Cultural Education at School in Europe study (2009) mention Cross-curricular themes proposed by schools include: Romanian language and literature and musical education, related to the integration of literary texts in musical pieces; practical abilities and fine arts education, related to the participation of children enrolled in primary education at the decoration of their school; art monuments and historical places of a specific city; photography between science and art.

According to Arts and Cultural Education at School in Europe study (2009) a strategy was adopted at national level to decentralize certain cultural fields, including the development of cooperation between schools and museums. In fact, one of the performance indicators used to monitor and evaluate the implementation of this strategy is precisely the number of visits made to museums by organized school groups. The results of this indicator are regularly reported by local and regional authorities, with the aim being to highlight the educational value of museums. Romania’s Ministry of Education, Research and Youth has drawn up a 'Strategy for the development of extra-curricular and school-based educational activities', strategy based on the idea that extra-curricular activities are beneficial to the entire education process, and in particular to personal development.

Another national level initiative in Romania is aimed at the promotion of extra-curricular activities; a collaboration protocol covering this issue will be signed in the near future by the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth and the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs. This protocol will enhance the collaboration between schools and museums, facilitating the exchange of experiences among specialists in the cultural and educational fields. It will create links between the content of school curricula and the educational services of museums, encouraging the participation of pupils in programmes proposed by the specialists working in museums.

The Ministry of Education, Research and Youth and the Ministry of Culture and Communities, as well as other institutions active in the fields of education and culture, organize festivals periodically, festivals that include creativity workshops and artistic events relating to the fields of architecture and design, fine arts, performing arts, free creativity, drawing and painting, portraiture, photography, journalism, the art of icons and popular art, games, sports, multimedia, modelling, theatre, film, etc. One example of this type of festival is the CreativFEST, which is intended to identify and publicize the achievements of children and young people in the creative field. The Museums' Night and the Passport to Culture project, offer other opportunities for participants to explore arts and creative activities in Romania.