A Visual Arts Teacher,
Photographer and Practitioner Researcher
New IB Syllabus: IB Diploma Programme Visual Arts
The IB Diploma Programme Visual Arts course is a studio-based, inquiry-driven subject designed for students who want to think, create, and communicate like artists. Rather than focusing on memorization or final products alone, the course values process, experimentation, reflection, and intentional decision-making.
Students learn to investigate ideas, explore materials, make informed artistic choices, and communicate meaning through visual language—skills that extend far beyond the art room.
The updated IB Visual Arts syllabus places art-making as inquiry at the center of learning, encouraging students to develop their own artistic voice while engaging thoughtfully with cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts
How the Course Is Structured
IB Visual Arts is taught as a working art studio, not a traditional classroom. Students are expected to:
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Work through ideas over time
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Test materials and techniques
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Document their thinking visually and in writing
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Reflect on successes, challenges, and decisions
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Revise and refine their work through feedback
There is no written exam in IB Visual Arts. Assessment is based on curated digital submissions that show how students think and work as artists
Core Areas of Learning
Throughout the two-year course, students engage with three interconnected areas:
Create
Students explore materials, techniques, and processes through sustained art-making. Emphasis is placed on experimentation, risk-taking, and technical development.
Connect
Students research artists, cultural contexts, and visual traditions, making meaningful connections between their own work and the wider world.
Communicate
Students learn to articulate ideas visually and verbally, considering audience, intention, and presentation.
These areas are taught in collaboration, overlap continuously as part of an authentic artistic practice
New Syllabus – First Assessment 2027
Instead of three separate tasks (Comparative Study, Process Portfolio, and Exhibition), the new IB DP Visual Arts course integrates learning into broader, more authentic assessment components
1. Art-Making Inquiries Portfolio
(External Assessment for HL & SL Students)
This portfolio documents the student’s creative journey. It includes:
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Visual research
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Experiments with materials and techniques
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Development of ideas
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Reflections on artistic decisions
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Evidence of growth over time
This is where students show how they think, not just what they produce.
Credited Image: S. Brinkley, 2025
2. Resolved Artworks
(External Assessment for HL & SL Students)
Teachers assess this work, and it is externally moderated by the IB to ensure global standards. Students submit a curated selection of resolved artworks that demonstrate:
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Technical competence
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Conceptual clarity
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Personal voice
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Intentional use of materials and processes
Credited Image: L.Scarienzi, IBDP Visual Arts Exhibition 2024
3. Artist Project Higher Level (HL Only)
HL students complete an Artist Project, which includes:
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A sustained, self-directed inquiry
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A short video explaining artistic intentions
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Evidence of planning, revision, and reflection
This component emphasizes independence and prepares students for university-level creative study
Credited Image: S. Brinkley, 2025
Credited Image: S. Brinkley, 2025
4. Connections Study Standard Level (SL Only)
Students explore relationships between:
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Their own artistic practice
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The work of other artists
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Cultural, historical, or contemporary contexts
Students will compare artworks for factual accuracy, focusing on meaning, influence, and relevance, developing critical and visual literacy skills.
Credited Image: S. Brinkley, 2025
Key takeaway:
Instead of treating tasks as separate checkboxes, the new guide encourages students to explore big ideas, pursue their interests, and reflect continuously throughout the course. This approach feels more natural, connected, and authentic.
What Success Looks Like in
IB Visual Arts
Success in this course is not measured by how “pretty” an artwork is,
not even by how many pieces a student completes at home.
Instead, IB values:
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Consistent studio engagement
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Thoughtful experimentation
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Willingness to revise and improve
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Clear artistic intention
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Strong documentation of the process
A student who works steadily in class, reflects honestly, and learns from challenges is often more successful than one who produces polished work without evidence of inquiry.
Why Process Matters
In today’s world (where digital tools and AI can generate images instantly), the IB places strong emphasis on authentic creative thinking and decision-making. What matters is how an idea develops, why choices are made, and what the student learns along the way.
This approach aligns with university expectations in art, design, architecture, media, and creative industries worldwide.
How I’m Adapting My Teaching
To align with these changes, I’ve redesigned my curriculum to support deeper investigations, offer more choice, and build essential skills gradually. Some ways I’m adapting:
