Revitalizing Arts Pedagogy through Ecclesiastical and Indigenous Visual Cultures: Contemporary Realities in Ebonyi and Imo States, Nigeria

Abstract

Ebonyi and Imo States, Nigeria, possess rich ecclesiastical and indigenous visual traditions that remain insufficiently integrated into formal arts education. This disconnect limits opportunities to connect classroom instruction with local cultural heritage. Despite the potential educational value of these traditions, empirical evidence examining their relationships with cultural literacy, historical consciousness and students’ creative engagement remains limited. This study investigated the effectiveness of revitalizing arts pedagogy through ecclesiastical and indigenous visual cultures in addressing contemporary educational realities in Ebonyi and Imo States, Nigeria. It examined how integrating sacred artistic expressions and indigenous visual traditions into arts instruction enhances cultural literacy, historical consciousness, and students' creative engagement. An explanatory research design was adopted. A total of 421 participants—including arts lecturers, pre-service art teachers, curators, clergy, and custodians of indigenous artistic traditions—were selected through stratified and purposive sampling from tertiary institutions and cultural centres. Data were collected using the validated Visual Heritage Pedagogy Assessment Scale (VHPAS), which demonstrated satisfactory reliability (CR = 0.91; AVE = 0.68). Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4 was used for data analysis. The results showed that ecclesiastical and indigenous visual cultures significantly enhanced cultural literacy (β = 0.597, t = 11.86, p < 0.001), historical consciousness (β = 0.541, t = 10.42, p < 0.001), and creative engagement (β = 0.633, t = 12.97, p < 0.001). The findings further indicated that culturally responsive arts pedagogy strengthened appreciation of local artistic heritage while connecting religious aesthetics and indigenous visual expressions with contemporary classroom practice. The study concluded that integrating ecclesiastical and indigenous visual cultures provides a sustainable framework for preserving cultural identity and enriching arts education. It recommended curriculum reforms, continuous professional development for arts educators, and stronger partnerships among educational institutions, museums, religious organisations, and traditional communities to promote experiential learning and safeguard regional visual cultural heritage.