Access and Widening Participation in Arts Higher Education

This volume brings together a range of practitioners, managers, and researchers who work within the field of arts higher education to reflect on strategies to increase access and widening participation (WP). The issues presented in this book are situated within a wider global context where countries are seeking greater harmonisation of higher education as students and workers become more mobile, crossing international borders. The chapter authors address various issues within higher education institutions from a WP context, including areas such as creative writing, music, art and design. In exploring these issues the editor and her chapter authors seek to answer how those teaching in arts higher education can promote the value and quality of their work while ensuring fair access and wide participation for all. 

This is an opportune, thorough, and insightful book that considers access to arts education from a multitude of perspectives, describing factors influencing access, participation, and progression into related careers and their intersections.  The wealth of experience of the authors means the finer details of personal, political, and pedagogical barriers are illuminated alongside an evident passion and care for arts education that is vital at this moment of threat.  A must read for educators, widening participation practitioners, and those with an interest in seeing the arts thrive!

Emily Towler, Plus Programme Lead Officer, University of Leeds

This is a compelling and timely book that explores the practices and policies of access and widening participation in creative arts higher education. Structural barriers are explored through the interrogation of whiteness and a thoughtful problematizing of how language plays a role in how inequalities are conceptualised. The contributions are firmly anchored in arts education and they offer approaches that challenge privilege and promote diversity.

Vikki Hill, SFHEA, CATE, Educational Developer: Attainment (Identity and Cultural Experience), University of the Arts London.

This book is a prompt reminder that a lack of diversity in arts in higher education could impoverish the cultural and creative industries. It explores various critiques of current policies and practices whilst offering examples of interventions designed to improve arts students’ experiences, access and participation in higher education. With chapters that include an examination of The global context for access and widening participation to Disaggregating the black student experience, this book is essential reading for all staff and students interested in understanding the importance of decolonisation in education. It challenges traditional structures of power that have underpinned themanagement of higher education and points the way to social justice in the curriculum.

Mike Collier, Professor of Visual Art,Principal Investigator; WALK (Walking, Art, Landskip and Knowledge), University of Sunderland.

Samantha Broadhead is Head of Research at Leeds Arts University, UK.