Arts and Minds campaign call for change in schools

Representatives of the arts industry have delivered an open letter signed by more than 10,000 creatives and educators to Bridget Phillipson and Lisa Nandy. 

Leading arts figures including composer and radio presenter Jack Pepper, artist Bob and Roberta Smith and actor Jamie Kenna delivered an open letter signed by over 10,000 educators and members of the arts community to Secretaries of State Bridget Phillipson and Lisa Nandy on Tuesday 15 July. The letter calls on the government to restore the status of arts subjects in schools and put creativity at the heart of learning. It comes as the Government prepares to respond to the final report of its independent review of curriculum and assessment. 

The letter has been organised by the Arts and Minds campaign, a coalition of over 30 organisations including the National Education Union, Equity and the Musicians’ Union, and signed by many prominent members of the creative community including actors Juliet Stevenson, Harriet Walter and Sally Phillips and renowned classical music family, the Kanneh-Masons. One Dance UK’s Laura Nicholson, Head of Children and Young People, also joined the delivery of the letter, standing on behalf of dance and highlighting the importance of dance in children's education. 

Bob and Roberta Smith comments, “We need to support our artists now more than ever. We need to develop children’s voices through art, drama, music, design and poetry. All schools should be art schools!” 

New research from WeThink/Omnisis shows parents are also in favour of the campaign’s aims. Two-thirds (67%) want more opportunities for their children to study creative subjects, with 70% believing that taking these subjects will help them find a job in the future and 78% agreeing that it will give them the chance to fulfil their potential. 

Parents also believe in the wider benefits of learning about the arts: 80% agree that studying creative subjects is good for society as a whole and 82% believe that giving children the chance to express themselves through art is good for overall academic and emotional development.  

Arts and Minds is calling for funding for arts subjects to be fully restored in schools. When asked how an increased budget should be spent, parents opted for more resources in design and technology (43%); more cultural trips (41%) and more specialist teachers (41%). Other popular choices included music lessons for all children (37%) and more chances to perform publicly (21%). 

Sarah Kilpatrick, president of the National Education Union and campaign spokesperson, comments, “Decades of underfunding, coupled with punitive accountability and assessment processes have squeezed time and space for the arts in schools. All children have the right to a rich creative and cultural education, no matter what their background is or how wealthy their parents are. We cannot allow a system to remain in place in which children can’t access the arts due to a lack of funding. The government must make space for the arts through it’s review of the curriculum and assessment. Not doing so risks worsening the wellbeing and attendance crisis and fails a generation of children.” 

The Arts and Minds campaign is asking the government to make five commitments to put creativity at the heart of learning: 

A right to study arts and creative subjects for all children regardless of their background. 
Restore the status of arts and creative education – scrap the EBacc, restore parity between subjects, and give schools the trust and flexibility they need. 
End the exam factory culture – end high-stakes assessments at primary school and reduce the exam burden at GCSE. 
Equip the education system to deliver the broad and balanced curriculum our communities want – increase teacher and subject specific CPD for all teachers. 
Fund the arts – restore school funding to allow schools to invest in arts education, and restore arts funding to facilitate links between the education system and the industry 

Laura Nicholson, Head of Children and Young People at One Dance UK adds
"Dance offers so much more than performance, it helps young people grow in confidence, work together, and find their voice through movement. It encourages creativity, resilience, and connection at a time when many young people need it most. Every child should have the chance to experience the joy and value of dance, no matter who they are or where they come from. By making space for dance in education, we open the door to possibility and gives every child the chance to move, connect, and learn in their own way."

With the Curriculum and Assessment Review ( CAR ) ongoing, One Dance UK is pleased to continue to represent the voices of the dance sector to both DfE and the CAR panel and to champion the importance of access to dance as an entitlement for all. You can read more about One Dance UK's position in this recent article for Cultural Learning Alliance: The importance of dance education – Cultural Learning Alliance

 Main press release written by Florence Lockheart