The Arts and Minds campaign and coalition is calling for all children and young people to have the right to study creative subjects and for arts funding in schools to be fully restored. Together, we aim to draw attention to the ‘creative gap’ in schools and are calling for the government to put creativity at the heart of learning.
Arts and Minds is a coalition of over 20 organisations including the National Education Union, Equity, the Musicians’ Union and NSEAD. The campaign is launching at Tate Modern on Tuesday 11 February 2025 and will be attended by children and young people; Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; and some of the campaign’s Arts Ambassadors, including artists, actors, musicians, and more.
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.
Research conducted by the campaign with WeThink/Omnisis shows:
- A huge demand for arts subjects from young people: 90% of GCSE students want to study a creative subject but two-thirds of school leaders report that they cannot offer the full suite of art, music, dance, drama or media to GCSE level, according to new polling by Teacher Tapp.
- Overall, participation in arts subjects at GCSE has fallen by 42% since 2010 but almost three-quarters (72%) of students who are not studying any creative subjects say they would like to be.
- Meanwhile, half (48%) of parents surveyed by WeThink/Omnisis for Arts and Minds say that they cannot afford extra-curricular arts activities, meaning that millions of children are denied any creative outlet and the chance to foster their talents and explore future careers.
- This is despite the UK’s creative industries delivering almost £125 billion to the economy in 2022 - more value than the life sciences, aerospace and automotive sectors combined.
Canon marlene Wylie, immediate Past President
'In its richest form, education has the power to change lives. The arts are transformative. For this to happen, all children need access to an arts-rich education – not an add on, not at the end of the day, but as part of a broad and expansive education.’
Michele Gregson, General Secretary of NSEAD, says:
‘In the last 15 years we know there has been a decrease in art and design provision in schools - a decrease in hours taught, in teacher numbers and funding too. A focus on SATs in primary schools and arts carousals in key stage 3 for example, have reduced time studying the arts; whilst the Ebacc has removed arts options and therefore life-choices for a generation. And, we know that the playing fields of arts opportunity are not level across the independent and state schools. As an Arts and Minds coalition member, we urge the government to remove these barriers, open the gates and access to the arts, so that every child can thrive and reach their full potential.’
Sarah Kilpatrick, President of the National Education Union, says,
'The arts make us who we are. Not only do they contribute significantly to the UK economy, they open minds and communities. Creativity is central to the human experience and the growing disparity in access to art and creative education is devastating. It is more important than ever that we support and invest in the arts.’