This study began from the necessity of arts education programs in which participants could become the willing subject in recreating or reconstructing experiences of their lives so that they can understand principles and intentions of activities, find ways of expressions, and discover ‘themselves’ by establishing their ownership. To do this, the study reviewed the current trend of arts education and discussed the major concepts and issues of arts education, especially focusing on Dewey, who had provided the theoretical basis of contemporary arts education. In connection with this, the study examined the possibility of ‘Applied Theatre’ approach as one of the alternatives in the light of the status quo of Korean theatre education field and to embrace the changing paradigms in theatre and arts education. Based on this argument, the study examined and proposed the possibilities for a structuralization of ‘participant-oriented Applied Theatre’ programs using Etude, which has only been known as actor training program. This study is meaningful because it not only broadened the perspective on diverse theatrical approaches such as educational drama and applied theatre that have been neglected in traditional, mainstream theatre education but also considered them in relation with paradigm shifts in theatre and arts education. In particular, it is also meaningful because it explores the possibility of the development of ‘participant-oriented Applied Theatre program’ that both actors and non-actors can promote thoughts and experiences using Etude which has been only considered as actor training methods not for wider populations.