Women, Robots and a Sustainable Generation: Reading Artworks Envisioning Education in 2050 and Beyond

Abstract

UNESCO’s Futures of Education initiative aims to rethink education and shape the future. As part of a broad open consultation, an independent international commission harnessed the imaginations of artists throughout the world with an open call to creatively respond to the question: What does education, learning and knowledge look like in 2050? This analysis represents the reading of 218 artworks submitted in response to the open call received between September 2019 and October 2020. The artworks were submitted to UNESCO via the online platform from all regions of the world – the majority of artists aged sixteen to thirty years old (62%) and identifying as female (60%). Through careful analyses of artwork submissions, the analysis points to defiant individual perspectives across key themes, echoing many of UNESCO’s key priorities. Artists have explored a set of themes across optimistic and pessimistic dimensions, many warning against a future driven by current leaders and with existing policies