Some art educators working in communities exemplify an alternative to the more common and stereotypical notion of the artist as autonomous, self-focused, and neutral. They view art-making and education as vehicles for social justice, and in some cases for social and political activism. In these broader social functions, the boundaries between art, education and activism fade. Drawing on perspectives from community art education, sociology, art criticism, critical pedagogy, and social justice education, and based on in-depth interviews with participants, this study examines the motivations, perspectives, development, and experiences of five artist/educator/activists who work in community-based settings in Tucson, Arizona. Common characteristics, as well as questions and implications for further research, are presented and discussed.

Thesis deals with possibility of development cooperation, engagement and interpersonal relationships through artistic projects. How can arts education promote children's interest in their neighbourhoods and learn them engagement? This is main a question in this thesis. The theoretical part describes the methods and approaches that are related to the cooperation in art education. The thesis search for contemporary art projects focused on community development and local changes and interpret them. The practical part describes own project, focused to the city of Dačice. The main ideas of the project are based on the official transfer of the city from Moravia to Bohemia. The aim of the project is not only to promote children's interest in their place of neighbourhoods and to lead them to engagement and cooperation, but also to lead them to reflect their identity. Keywords: community, school, visual culture, collaborative art, art education, communication, cooperation, interpretation, interdisciplinarity, project