Art History Link-Up
JAGS helps to fund an independent charity which teaches History of Art to pupils from lower income families from over 20 local schools. Art History Link-Up’s mission is to provide an opportunity for students from diverse backgrounds to learn about and have direct access to visual culture and to open up career and further education choices by gaining accredited qualifications.
Aims
Only eight state schools in the country currently offer History of Art A level, yet the creative industries added over £100 billion to the UK economy in 2017, according to DCMS figures. Access to arts education should be available and open to all.
Art History Link-Up provides young people from diverse backgrounds with opportunities to study Art History based around learning at first-hand from museum and gallery collections, and currently offers free fast-track AS Art History to state maintained sector students in museums and galleries.
Art History Link-Up is currently developing a diploma in art and visual cultures for younger students. A pilot taking place this year is generously supported by Scala Arts and Heritage Publishers.
Background
Its first programme, Art History for Everyone, a free fast-track AS Art History for state maintained sector students, emerged from a two-year pilot in two state schools in 2014.
In order to open the scheme up to all state school students and to provide first-hand access to the works of art being studied, in 2016 the scheme was developed independently by Art History Link-Up and relocated to The Wallace Collection.
Art History for Everyone courses are currently based at the Wallace Collection and the National Gallery, which generously offer dedicated study space free-of-charge for the scheme, with classes also hosted by the British Museum, the Royal Academy and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Resources
Courses are currently based at the Wallace Collection and the National Gallery, which generously offer dedicated study space free-of-charge for the scheme, with classes also hosted by the British Museum, the Royal Academy and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Each of our students is offered access to careers and university advice, to work experience placements in relevant fields, and EPQ mentoring by subject specialists from across the sectors. In addition, each student is offered study skills and subject support at Homework Club, run by post-graduate Art History students, after each class.
Impact
As a result of taking the courses, on average around half of the alumni students say they wish to pursue the subject at university and/or a career in the arts, so keeping the subject and sector alive, diverse and vibrant.
Pupil Involvement
40 students from over 20 state supported schools registered on Art History Link-Up’s Art History A level and Extended Project Qualification courses in September 2018.
Frequency
The goal is to have further courses operating in the future and so to continue our objective of opening up Art History to students from a more diverse range of backgrounds.
