一般社団法人日本美術教育学会　代表理事　新関伸也

　このたび、一般社団法人日本美術教育学会の代表理事を務めることとなりました新関伸也です。歴代代表理事をはじめ、本学会の歩みを支えてこられた諸先輩方、ならびに会員の皆様のご尽力に、心より敬意と感謝を申し上げます。その歴史と蓄積の重みを受け止めながら、学会の今後を担う責任の大きさに、あらためて身の引き締まる思いでおります。

　本学会は、長年にわたり、美術教育に関する理論的研究と実践的研究の双方を大切に育み、わが国の美術教育の発展に寄与してまいりました。学会誌の刊行、研究大会・研究会の開催、校種や地域を越えた研究交流を通して、美術教育の本質と可能性を多面的に問い続けてきたことは、本学会の誇るべき成果です。なかでも、教育現場の実践に深く根ざし、日々の授業や子どもたちの表現・鑑賞の姿に即して研究を積み重ねてきたことは、本学会の重要な特色であり、かけがえのない学術的基盤であると考えております。研究と実践との往還を重視するこの姿勢こそ、本学会の存在意義を支える根幹であります。

　また、近年、本学会は一般社団法人化を果たし、運営基盤の明確化と安定化を進めてまいりました。これは、学会の継続性と公共性、さらには社会的信頼性を高めるうえで、大きな節目となるものでした。加えて、美術教育をめぐる今日的課題に対し、関係団体とも連携しながら提言や発信を行ってきたことは、本学会の社会的役割をあらためて示すものとなっております。

　一方で、会員構成の変化、若手研究者・実践者の参画促進、学会活動の持続可能性、社会への発信力の強化など、私たちの前にはなお多くの課題があります。これらに真摯に向き合いながら、教育現場に根ざした実践研究を今後も大切にし、大学研究者、学校教員、学生を含む多様な会員が学び合い、支え合うことのできる、開かれた学会を築いてまいりたいと考えております。

　本学会がこれまで培ってきた豊かな研究と実践の蓄積を礎として、美術教育の意義と価値を社会により確かに示していけるよう、会員の皆様とともに力を尽くしてまいります。今後とも、変わらぬご理解とご協力を賜りますよう、心よりお願い申し上げます。

Shinya Niizeki

President, Art Education Society of Japan

It is a great honor for me to assume the office of President of the Art Education Society of Japan, a general incorporated association. At the outset, I wish to express my deepest respect and sincere gratitude to the former presidents, senior scholars, and all members whose dedicated efforts have sustained and advanced this society over many years. In accepting this responsibility, I do so with a profound awareness of the distinguished history and scholarly legacy that this society represents.

Since its establishment, the Art Education Society of Japan has made a significant contribution to the development of art education in Japan through the steady cultivation of both theoretical inquiry and practice-based research. Through the publication of its academic journal, the organization of annual conferences and research meetings, and the promotion of scholarly exchange across regions and school levels, the society has continuously explored the nature, significance, and possibilities of art education from multiple perspectives. Among its most notable characteristics has been its enduring commitment to educational practice. Society has consistently valued research grounded in the realities of classrooms, attentive to the daily processes of teaching and learning, and to children’s acts of artistic expression and appreciation. This sustained commitment to the reciprocal relationship between research and practice constitutes one of the essential foundations of society’s identity and mission.

In recent years, society has also entered a new stage of development through its incorporation as a general incorporated association. This institutional transition has further strengthened and clarified the organizational basis of society, while enhancing its continuity, public character, and social credibility. At the same time, society has increasingly sought to address contemporary issues in art education through public statements and policy proposals, often in collaboration with related academic and professional organizations. Such efforts reflect the growing importance of society’s role not only within the academic community but also in the broader public sphere.

At the same time, a few important challenges remain before us: changes in the composition of membership, the need to encourage the active participation of younger researchers and practitioners, the long-term sustainability of academic activities, and the further strengthening of our international and public presence. In responding to these challenges, we remain committed to cherishing practice-based research rooted in educational settings, while fostering an open and intellectually vibrant academic community in which university scholars, schoolteachers, and students may learn from one another and work in mutual support.

Building upon the rich accumulation of research and practice that this society has cultivated over the years, I am determined to work together with our members to articulate more persuasively the significance and value of art education to the wider world. I sincerely hope for your continued understanding, encouragement, and collaboration in the years to come.