Since the 1960s, fine art higher education in the UK has undergone dramatic changes to the way it is delivered. Initially, it was a vocational practice rooted in making. However, since its amalgamation into the university system in the early 1990s, it has become increasingly theoretical.
“Art Schools, Place and Policy” draws from a historical and socio-geographical exploration of how policy and societal contexts have shaped art education. It investigates how an examination of the relationship between art schools and place can advance our understanding of the value of fine art education today.
In their cross-disciplinary doctoral research, artist and geographer Dr Silvie Jacobi and artist and lecturer Dr Matthew Macaulay explore how these changes have shaped the current fine art curriculum.
Matthew's work is concerned with how the shifting UK higher education policy environment has impacted painting education since the 1970s. Silvie explores the relationship between art schools and place and the emergence of art scenes by juxtaposing British and German art school systems. The conversation is chaired by Paul Haywood.