COMMUNITY-BASED ARTS EDUCATION IN DIASPORA CONTEXTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT EDUCATION MANAGEMENT AND THE SDGs

Abstract

This paper explores community-based arts education initiatives within Indonesian diaspora communities as informal and non-formal learning practices relevant to sustainable development agendas in Asia. Drawing on phenomenological data from diaspora artists and cultural practitioners in European contexts, the study explores how arts-based learning emerges through small-scale, community-led workshops and shared practices rather than through formal or regular training programs. These episodic learning activities function as spaces for cultural literacy, social inclusion, and intergenerational knowledge transmission. The findings suggest that community-based arts learning offers insights into pathways aligned with selected Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Quality Education (SDG 4), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). Rather than positioning government as a direct provider of arts education, the study highlights the importance of facilitative public sector roles that recognize, enable, and partner with community initiatives. Although the empirical setting is in Europe, the practices examined are rooted in Asian cultural traditions and offer implications for government education management in Asian contexts characterized by cultural diversity and reliance on non-formal learning. This paper draws on selected data from an ongoing research project and presents a focused analysis relevant to the conference theme.