UK (Goldsmiths University of London) Goldsmiths to help lead national arts education programme

Goldsmiths has been chosen to help lead a flagship arts education programme which is delivered in schools across England.

The College has been named as the delivery partner for the Artsmark initiative run by Arts Council England (ACE), for three years from September 2023.

Our academics and Knowledge Exchange experts will be designing and delivering national-level training and support for schools and learning settings. The project is being led by Professor Tara Page in the Department of Educational Studies.

The award is an important step in the College’s Research and Knowledge Exchange work, with Artsmark a well-established accreditation scheme for arts and cultural education across England.

Professor Frances Corner, Warden of Goldsmiths, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the delivery of the Artsmark programme, bringing our distinctive expertise in the arts, culture and education to help engender a diverse, distinctive and inspiring arts and cultural education across England.

“This is timely and vital work in a context of economic uncertainty and evidenced inequalities in England’s cultural education landscape, and we are proud of the opportunity to make a difference, inspire ambition, and contribute to social mobility in and through the arts and culture.

“We can’t wait to begin this important work with Arts Council England, and the thousands of dedicated teachers, pupils and schools throughout England.”

Artsmark is the only creative quality standard for schools and education settings, supporting these places to  develop and celebrate their commitment to arts and cultural education for all children and young people.

The scheme’s flexible framework helps embed arts, culture, and creativity across the curriculum, and Goldsmiths will play a key role in supporting schools to reflect, evaluate and celebrate their arts provision through its national training and support offer.

Richard Russell, Chief Operating Officer of ACE said: “The Arts Council is here to help every child experience creativity where they live, go to school, and choose to spend their free time.

“As part of our 10-year strategy, Let’s Create, the Arts Council has reconfigured how Artsmark’s support is provided, aiming to establish a cohesive, national offer for schools, building on the success of previous regional delivery partners.

“I’m delighted to welcome Goldsmiths to the Artsmark community and look forward to seeing how their understanding of both the educational and cultural landscapes will impact schools at all stages of their Artsmark journey.”

Read more about the partnership on the ACE website.