The Courtauld Institute in London has today launched a new fund aimed at widening access to art history, after a new report revealed that the subject is now only taught to A-level students in 19 state or non-fee paying schools across the UK.
The report, conducted by the Association for Art History and published by the Courtauld, found that the total number of schools offering art history to 16-18 year olds has fallen by 34%, from 122 institutions in 2016 to 80 today. The subject is offered only in England, with courses clustered in London and the south east, and no provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Rose Aidin, the founder and chief executive of Art History Link-Up, a registered charity which offers free art history A-level qualifications, said: “Over half of our students are based outside London, and we’ve taught art history courses to students from each of the four nations. There is clearly a market and appetite for the study of art history qualifications across the UK.”
The Courtauld is likewise eager to expand access and provision for young people. According to a statement, its new fund “aims to dramatically increase the number of scholarships and bursaries it offers to students”. Dorothy Price, the executive dean and deputy director of the Courtauld, says that the fund will “break down the financial barriers that prevent talented young people from accessing the Courtauld’s world-class teaching”.
The gallery has also launched an “access and participation plan” in a bid to increase applications from traditionally underrepresented groups, such as students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, students from the Global Majority, and state school students.
“Once-in-a-generation transformation”
The Courtauld, part of the University of London, is named after its founder the industrialist and art collector Samuel Courtauld; it opened its doors in 1932. To celebrate its upcoming centenary, the gallery also today announced plans for a “once-in-a-generation transformation of its Grade 1-listed building at Somerset House”. The £82m project will be overseen by Witherford Watson Mann architects.
Students had to vacate the historic building at the end of 2018 to allow earlier stages of the work to proceed and temporarily decamped to a building at Vernon Square, near King’s Cross. The new campus on the Strand will include new teaching spaces, a new lecture theatre and library within Somerset’s House subterranean vaults as part of the revamp.
The new campus project is funded by a number of philanthropic bodies, including the Deborah Loeb Brice foundation and the Garfield Weston foundation. Further funding is provided by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, the charitable enterprise of the Ukrainian-born businessman Sir Leonard Blavatnik. Denise Coates, the founder of the Bet365 gambling empire, also supports the Courtauld.
Earlier this year the Courtauld received a £30m donation, the largest in its 93-year history. The financial gift comes from the Reuben Foundation, the charitable arm of the family of billionaire brothers and property moguls, David and Simon Reuben. The Reuben family were ranked at number two in the most recent Sunday Times Rich List with a fortune of £26.9bn.
Speaking at today’s press briefing, Courtauld director Mark Hallett said that the organisation is considering offering more master’s degree programmes and looking to collaborate with art schools. The institute is also keen to launch more “adult learner” courses.