Between the Curriculum’s Intentions and Teaching Practice

The study examined how art teachers in Swedish compulsory schools perceived the challenges and conditions shaping art education in connection with the implementation of the Lgr22 curriculum, with a particular focus on the concept of visual culture. The study adopted a qualitative approach and was based on semi-structured interviews with five certified art teachers working at different compulsory schools. The empirical material was analysed thematically, drawing on frame factor theory, curriculum theory, and policy enactment, as well as theories of visual culture. The results showed that the teachers perceived Lgr22 as a broadening of the content of the art subject, in which visual culture and digital forms of expression had gained increased significance. At the same time, a clear gap emerged between the intentions of the curriculum and the practical implementation of teaching. Limited instructional time, insufficient material and digital resources, and large student groups were identified as central frame factors affecting the quality of instruction. The teachers’ professional interpretations and engagement appeared to be decisive for how the curriculum was enacted in practice. The study concluded that the possibilities for art education to realize the intentions of Lgr22 are to a large extent dependent on organizational conditions and strengthened institutional support for the art subject.