Artistic Practice as a Framework for the Formation of Personal and Collective Cultural Identity and Its Educational Implications

Abstract

This research seeks to provide a conceptualization of artistic growth as a means to form, express and modify both individual and collective cultural identity. This study focused on the way in which cultural identity is formed through creativity. Empirical survey data was collected online through Google Forms, between September 2025 and January 2026, from 126 respondents, aged 18-35, who had some prior involvement in creative activities that were artistic, cultural, educational, or community-based in nature. The results of this study indicated that the majority of respondents viewed artistic growth as a significant means of developing their individual identity. The highest mean score for the personal identity variable was a 4.21. There was a strong degree of agreement on the collective identity block (mean score = 4.04). The internal consistency for both the personal identity and collective identity blocks were adequate, with Cronbach’s alpha being 0.84 for the personal block and 0.81 for the collective block. There were statistically significant Spearman’s correlations demonstrated between the amount of artistic participation and perceived impact on one's personal identity (ρ = 0.46, p < 0.01) and collective identity (ρ = 0.39, p < 0.01). These results indicated that artistic practice provides a medium for the connection of individual self-perception to the collective meaning attached to culture. The results obtained have direct educational significance: they indicate the need to integrate artistic practice into educational programs as a means of forming the cultural identity of education seekers. Based on empirical data, it is substantiated that effective artistic education should combine the development of technical skills with the reflection of cultural memory, involvement in joint projects and interpretation of traditional forms.