The Center for Educational Research and Academic Development in the Arts (CERADA)
Our research is connected to topical social themes, such as democracy, equality, social responsibility and well-being.

Our research is connected to topical social themes, such as democracy, equality, social responsibility and well-being.
The Center for Educational Research and Academic Development in the Arts (CERADA) is one of the three focus area centres of Uniarts Helsinki. Its focus is on research into arts education and research-based development of higher education in the arts. The research carried out in CERADA therefore responds to the demands for development in arts education and higher education in the arts, as well as professional development for artists and arts teachers. CERADA’s vision is to be a well-connected, internationally acknowledged, high-quality research centre that impacts society in its own focus area.
Here you’ll find news about our research as well as descriptions of some of our research projects.
“The Politics of Care in the Professional Education of Children Gifted for Music” is a 5-year research project funded by the Academy of Finland.
The project identifies new alternative ways of implementing arts education that are environmentally responsible, socially engaged and forward-looking.
ELLA is a research project (2021-2024) funded by Kone foundation which investigates how embodied language learning through the arts may generate substantial change within communities.
Dancing can support the positive construction of masculinity, say Finnish researchers Kai Lehikoinen and Isto Turpeinen from the University of the Arts Helsinki (Uniarts Helsinki).
FAST45 investigates alternative futures for institutions of higher arts education in Europe.
Finnish children will have a free hobby during the school day thanks to funding from the government of Finland. Behind the scenes the art education researchers together with different cultural organisations have worked actively to make the dream come true.
The project intends to develop, implement and evaluate a creative, person-centered approach as well as enhance cultural and artistic practices in vocational education and geriatric care in order to change the care culture in Swedish Finland in the long term.
ARTWORK aims to expand the field of work for artists and raise increased awareness of the use of artistic methods for strengthening education and social initiatives.
Learn more about our projects.
The ELLA project arranges a public seminar at Åbo Akademi University in Vaasa on December 9, 2022. Participants can attend free of charge onsite in Vaasa or virtually via Zoom. Please register latest on 2nd December!
The conference will tackle big questions such as climate crisis, inequality, the changing role of arts education and students’ demands for radical change.
Expanding Professionalism in Music and Higher Music Education is edited by Heidi Westerlund and Helena Gaunt. The research in this book has been undertaken as part of the ArtsEqual project.
The lectures will tackle topics related to the future of music professionals, their career development, and how our identity can impact our opportunities within the music industry.
Gert Biesta, visiting professor at CERADA, talks about his research in the video lecture What’s the point of education? The lecture is now available to watch online.
The project collects and disseminates information on the practices, research and policies in the field of arts and cultural education in Finland.
Making radically diverse arts and artistic research propositions with post-qualitative methods.
Research centre CERADA’s blog offers news and views about how research into arts education can have an impact on society.