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Art histories have an unwavering presence inside the art school. Many artists have expert knowledge of art’s histories, which are regularly a source of inspiration for new developments in contemporary practice. The Coldstream Reports of 1960 brought the discipline of the history of art into the British art school curriculum formally, and since then art historians have experienced the pleasures and challenges of teaching the histories of art in the unique environment of specialist art education.

While the art school represents one of the major sites of art history pedagogy today, the specific difficulties of teaching art history and art theory to practice‑based students are rarely addressed directly within the discipline.

The Art History for Art Programmes Network responds to this issue by bringing together art historians and art school educators to explore the teaching, learning and assessment of art histories for art students. By staging opportunities for the discussion, exchange and dissemination of pedagogic research, we will consider the relationship between an expanded field of art history and studio practice.

The network aims to explore the following questions: How can the debates of the discipline be brought to life in the studio? What are the differences between teaching the history of art and what is often referred to as ‘contextual studies’? What types of texts are suitable for practitioners whose primary language or interest is visual and material? How can educators harness art students’ creativity and material confidence to support their engagement with theoretical texts? How can assessments in theoretical modules be designed to meaningfully support practice? The network will also consider what art students teach art historians when we consider the debates of our discipline through the practitioner’s eyes.

Workshops

During 2025‑26 the network will stage a series of three online workshops for members, centred on themes such as reading, writing and assessment. The online workshops will create a forum for art historians and art school educators to share pedagogic research, best practice and innovative approaches to teaching. They will also create a forum for networking and discussion. The workshops are kindly supported by the Association for Art History’s Grants for Art History.

Call for network members

We are seeking expressions of interest from colleagues who would like to join the Art History for Art Programmes network. Applications are encouraged from people active in the teaching of art histories in Higher Education art programmes in the UK, irrespective of whether they have a background in art history, art practice, or visual culture more broadly. Members will be invited to participate in three half‑day online workshops held over 2025‑26. In order to ensure effective discussion during the workshops, initially the network will operate as a closed group, with space for up to fifteen members available. Following the workshops, an outcome of the network’s activities will be the development of a Toolkit of open access resources on teaching the histories of art in art programmes, aimed at art historians working with practice‑based students.

If you are interested in joining the network, please send a short description of an aspect of your teaching that you’d like to explore more and a brief summary of your experience, including links to your relevant profiles or websites – maximum 400 words.

We encourage applications from people at all stages of their career, and have a small number of bursaries available to support those employed on fractional contracts to attend the online workshops. Please indicate on your application if you would like to be considered for the attendance bursary.

Successful applications will be selected by the network organisers.

Please email your application to: arthistoryforartprogrammes@gmail.com
The deadline for receipt of expressions of interest is 5pm on Friday 30th May.

ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Dr Clare Johnson, Associate Professor for Art and Design, University of West England
Dr Elizabeth Johnson, Senior Lecturer in Critical and Contextual Studies, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Dr Jenny Rintoul, Senior Lecturer in Visual Culture, University of West England
Dr Rachel Warriner, Assistant Professor, Northumbria School of Design, Arts and Creative Industries, Northumbria University