The Arts as White Property: An Introduction to Race, Racism, and the Arts in Education

The Handbook editors provide a framework for understanding the relationship between the arts and white supremacy in order to examine how racism operates and how racial hierarchies are constructed within the arts in education. The chapter introduces key tenets and concepts of Critical Race Theory, with a particular focus on the notion of whiteness as property. To make the case for understanding the arts as White property, the editors articulate a dual-lensed framework that defines “the arts” as both an inclusive and exclusive category. The editors then provide a guide to the four sections of the Handbook, highlighting various ways in which the chapters expand on the notion of the arts as White property. The chapter concludes with an invitation to scholars and practitioners to engage in research and sustained conversations about the relationship between race, racism, and the arts in education using Critical Race Theory as an orientation.