Visual Arts for Sustainable Development: An Analysis on the Potentiality of Visual Arts in Contributing towards the Sustainable Development

Abstract

Visual Art is a medium used to impart the morals, values and new perspectives on the wellbeing of the society while the Sustainable Development focuses on the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is obvious that the ‗Environment‘ becomes fundamental in visual artists in creation of their artistic works and thoughts. In order to blend the rational and emotional expressions of the human beings, visual arts act as the ideal medium to build the awareness of the sustainable development and inspire the people to act in a positive manner towards it. This research aimed to stress the potentiality of visual arts activities and programmes in contributing the sustainable development. It is recognized that sustainable development requires a balanced progress in four interdependent dimensions such as, Social, Economic, Environmental and Cultural. The engagement of the visual arts in those dimensions also is inevitably considerable. Therefore, the Visual Arts activities and programmes have the sole opportunity to lead the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the sustainable development policies and measures. This research provides suggestions and recommendations for effective Visual Arts activities and programmes in achieving the sustainable development. Throughout this research, the researcher discusses mainly about the field of Visual arts, ways of promoting sustainable development through visual arts activities and programmes, creation of art advocacy in building value and relevancy of visual arts in sustainable development and to create Visual artists and influencers in the world of art who are determined to reinstate the role of visual art in a context where their contributions will be a visible reflect for the sustainable development.