Exploring Indicators Influencing the Effectiveness of Integrating Intangible Cultural Heritage Into Fine Arts Education

Currently, existing research on intangible cultural heritage (ICH) primarily focuses on preservation strategies and transmission mechanisms, while studies exploring the effectiveness factors of ICH integration into fine arts education from the perspective of ICH inheritors remain notably scarce. This research investigates the key indicators that affect successful ICH integration in fine arts education through qualitative interviews with ICH inheritors in China. Using grounded theory methodology and NVivo-assisted analysis, the study identified 25 distinct indicators organized across five dimensions: Educational Integration, Cultural Transmission, Practitioner Experience, Student Engagement, and Sustainable Development. Our findings highlight that the effectiveness of ICH integration in fine arts education is shaped by a range of factors, including the adaptation of instructional resources, approaches to knowledge transmission, and the recognition of cultural values within educational settings. Rather than functioning as isolated categories, these five dimensions collectively form a multi-level explanatory structure that explains effectiveness through the interaction of cultural authenticity, practitioner agency, pedagogical adaptability, learner participation, and institutional sustainability. Drawing on inheritor’s perspectives, this study organizes these factors into a concise indicator framework that clarifies what drives effective integration and provides practical guidance for educators, policymakers, and curriculum designers seeking culturally authentic, sustainable heritage education.