The usage of distance learning in art education was not something very new in Lithuania, but this way of learning was rare. It was more popular in the context of non-formal education, not in the formal education, distance learning represented “an additional tool” [1] in the process of education.

From the middle of March 2020, the situation changed dramatically because of the announcement of quarantine throughout the territory of the Republic of Lithuania [4][5]. All teachers had to work using distance learning. It was adapted at all levels of education – with children and youth, from preschool till higher education, including formal and non-formal education.

Empowering of distance learning in such amount was a very sudden change. Nor the teachers, neither students were not prepared, as also their families. The issue was connected not only with skills to teach and to learn in distance using the artificial transmitter – a computer, but also there were problems with equipment for teachers and students, technical issues and limitations were caused by poorly performing hardware and software. As also there were children who did not have computers or tablets at all, this situation was partly solved, because the Lithuanian Education Ministry purchased and leased computers for schoolchildren. It was possible to predict that such a big change in education without a strategic plan would not avoid “unnecessary costs, wasted time, confusion, frustration, and stress for those who are involved” as Levy underlined in 2003 [2].

This research was initiated for understanding the scale of change that has resulted from the application of distance learning in areas that require a lot of direct communication, such as music and fine art. Almost five years earlier Koutsoupidou (2015) pointed that since ‘the first face-to-face courses began to incorporate online technologies until the present huge technical and instructional design progress has been made and many of the online teaching and learning elements and tools have improved’ [3]. Nevertheless, these areas – music and fine art were still special as their specificity requires high-quality cooperation between the teacher and the student and direct perception and assessment. The research was dedicated to non-formal education: pre-school education (kindergartens, school-kindergartens, schools) and additional art activities after school (provided in general education schools or specialized music, fine art schools, leisure centres, children’s clubs). Non-formal education was sensitive in the context of distance learning because of the children’s age (in pre-school education) and less state support (in additional art activities after school) and not all activities could be provided in synchronous sessions. The research was important, because the quarantine in the spring of 2020 was the first, but not the last during the year. The situation repeated in the November, when the second quarantine was announced [6].

The case of Lithuania could indicate some tendences, which could be unseen in other countries and it could serve as an example looking for parallels and new solutions in distance learning in music and fine art activities.

The object of the research – the usage of distance learning in art activities of non-formal education institutions.

The aim of the research – to reveal the peculiarities of music and fine art teachers' work in non-formal education institutions in the context of distance learning.

The research questions: what organizational challenges have music and fine art teachers faced in non-formal education since the introduction of distance learning; what changes in the process of non-formal education were observed during (after) the application of distance learning; how did music and fine art teachers‘ digital literacy change in the context of changing educational conditions?

ln order to answer the research questions, the research was comprised of two stages. The first stage included the review of literature and documents. The second stage was a qualitative research, which was conducted in 2020. All 14 Lithuanian informants (music and fine art teachers) participated in the interviews. The research aimed to investigate distance learning through teachers’ personal perceptions and practices. The open questions allowed to understand individual problems and experiences. The selection criteria for the research participants were these: 1) music and fine art teachers had to work in non-formal education institution 10 years or more; 2) music and fine art teachers had to have the highest qualification category (the teacher-expert); 3) at least half of the research participants had to work in the city, the other half – in a little town or a village educational institution. The participants were from different parts of Lithuania. At the time of the research, one of them was employed as an instrumental teacher (a national instrument – kankles) in a music school, three were teachers of vocal education in music schools, five were serving as music teachers in pre-school institutions, three were fine art teachers in fine art schools and two were serving as fine art teachers (freelance teachers) in pre-school institutions. All participants were females. The interviews were conducted online (Zoom) and only one in person, because of the quarantine. The interviews were recorded with an audio recorder. The transcribed text was analyzed by applying content analysis. The participants of the research were assigned identification codes. The data of the research was grouped by forming categories and subcategories (according the informants' statements).

The results of the research revealed that the distance learning was a big challenge in music and fine art activities of non-formal education. Music teachers working in preschool institutions emphasized that most of their activities had required a lot of self-education, physical effort and skills of digital literacy. At the same time the external support was minimal, mostly from fellow educators. Fine art teachers (working as freelance teachers) pointed out that a lot of children discontinued attending of the fine art activities. Music teachers working in music schools had more conflicts with parents, who still wanted their children have the face-to-face activities and did not want to understand the situation. Music and fine art teachers indicated that the whole process of distance learning was accompanied by many psychological experiences, the predominant of which was anxiety (about the quality of educational process, the protection of one's privacy, fear of video recording etc.). All educators also underlined the need for closer feedback from their students and their parents. Preparation for implementation of distance learning in music education process was a major catalyst for improving music teachers' competencies in digital literacy. Some music teachers felt even happy because of the need to learn new things and improve their skills. All participants of the research emphasized the process itself was not easy and they told they did not want to repeat this experience.

[1] Groulx, T. J., & Hemly, P. (2010). Online master’s degrees in music education: The growing pains of a tool to reach a larger community. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 28, 60-70. https://doi.org/10.1177/8755123310361765 [2] Levy, S. (2003). Six factors to consider when planning online distance learning programs higher education. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 6, 1-19. [3] Koutsoupidou, T. (2015). Online distance learning and music training: benefits, drawbacks and challenges, Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, vol. 29, 243-255, https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2015.1011112 [4] Order of 20 March 2020, No V-469: Remote organization of the education process during quarantine [The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport] https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/c5008240724b11eabee4a336e7e6fdab [5] Resolution of 14 March 2020, No. 207: Declaring quarantine on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania (consolidated version as of 16 March 2020) [The Government of the Republic of Lithuania]. https://sam.lrv.lt/en/news/quarantine-announced-throughout-the-territory-of-the-republic-of-lithuania-attached-resolution [6] Resolution of 4 November 2020, No. 1226: Declaring quarantine on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania (consolidated version as of 1 January 2021) [The Government of the Republic of Lithuania]. https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/a2b5da801f4a11eb9604df942ee8e443/asr