Art Schools of Yorkshire – exhibition celebrates the history, legacy and value of arts education

As they looked into whether other schools were closing down, their research revealed that there was indeed a pattern of closures emerging. “In 2010 we did some talks and Matthew started taking photographs – it began to build up into a more substantial project which was partly historical but also had a contemporary relevance because it seemed to speak to the current circumstances of arts education more broadly,” says Beck. “We wrote an article and continued to give talks and then around 2018 we were approached by the curator of Bluecoat Gallery in Liverpool who was interested in what we were doing and suggested that we could maybe turn this in to an exhibition.”

That first exhibition of The Art School Project in Liverpool focused on the north west and featured Cornford’s photographs of former and existing art schools accompanied by the histories of each building and institution. Since then, the show has had many iterations, having exhibited at a number of galleries and educational institutions around the country, and the latest, The Art Schools of Yorkshire, is currently on display at Leeds Arts University’s Blenheim Walk Gallery.

“Once we had done the exhibition in Liverpool, from that came the idea that we could work region by region,” says Cornford. “We have been following that model for the last eight or nine years with shows in Bury, Rochdale, Walsall, Nottingham, Loughborough, Leicester and now Leeds. We have been really lucky with the partnerships with various institutions and galleries which means it will reach a far greater number of people.” They now have a list of around 200 sites of former or existing art schools. “We plan to photograph each of those sites and do some research on the history of the school, the building and the surrounding area to build up a national picture,” says Beck.

The exhibition at Leeds Arts University, which is celebrating its 180th anniversary this year, explores the rich and varied history of art education in Yorkshire. Leeds Art School, established in 1846, was one of the earliest art schools to be founded in Britain; it counts among its alumni Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Jacob Kramer and Damien Hirst. Other arts schools set up at a similar time include Sheffield (1843) and York (1842). The British art school system had emerged out of the Victorian-era and its admirable commitment to public education; by the end of the 19th century, it had developed into an extensive network of institutions that were providing training and engagement with the arts for workers and students across the country.

On display in the show are photographs, text, and archival materials that highlight the significant role that art schools have played, and continue to play, in the cultural, social and economic life of our towns and cities. Alongside Beck and Cornford’s work there is a curated selection of records from the University’s archive including photographs and architectural drawings from the historic Vernon Street building, photographs of student work, staff reports and prospectuses. There are also documents highlighting how in the 1950s Leeds School of Art pioneered Basic Design – inspired by the Bauhaus movement – which represented a radical moment of change in British art education. It formed the basis for what developed into today’s art foundation diplomas.

While it is a historical exhibition, there are so many contemporary resonances. The debate over the cuts in funding for the arts in general and the closure of arts courses in many universities around the country, thereby limiting accessibility to arts education and by extension reducing the number of emerging artists, is very much a live and ongoing conversation. It feels like a very timely show. “The exhibition celebrates the legacy of the British art school while creating a space for dialogue about its future, raising questions about the role of the arts and art education today in relation to community, history and identity,” says Marianna Tsionki, associate professor and university curator at Leeds Arts University. “We have been experiencing a sort of crisis and perhaps some negative voices in relation to the value of arts education, but I remain optimistic. I don’t want to see this only as a nostalgic celebration or a sort of intention to go back, but I think there is a lot we can learn from the project.”

Cornford and Beck say that they feel they have learnt a great deal from working on the project. “The more we delve into the history, the more we keep learning,” says Beck. “The art schools grew up alongside technical education and were set up by people who felt there was a need for cultural education. This was effectively the beginning of further and higher education in this country. So many of our universities have their origins in art schools.” Both men actually have a very close association with this – Beck teaches literature and visual culture at the University of Westminster (incorporating what was once Harrow School of Art) and Cornford teaches fine art at the University of Brighton (formerly Brighton School of Art). “One of the most amazing things that we have learnt during our research is the resilience of arts education,” says Cornford. “It is still here because people want it to exist; that is heartening and a reason for optimism. I really like the idea of a gallery to be a space to begin new conversations and I have been very gratified that the project has evolved in this way.”

The exhibition, while elegiac on one level, is framed very much as a jumping off point for the sharing of ideas, understanding the present and looking to the future.

“I think that the exhibition, this body of research and the collaborative efforts are so vital,” says Tsionki. “We would like people to engage with this history but also to come and tell us their own stories to expand the work. It is really important for this to enter public spaces because that is how it becomes a public discourse.”

The Art Schools of Yorkshire exhibition runs until April 18 at the Blenheim Walk Gallery and the University Library at Leeds Arts University. The archival displays in the University Library must be viewed by appointment. For more information including full opening hours visit leeds-art.ac.uk