Arts in Schools Case Studies

Inspiring learning: 24 case studies highlighting the value of the arts in schools and beyond

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch)’s report The Arts in Schools (1982), A New Direction commissioned a suite of case studies as a companion piece to new research by Pauline Tambling and Sally Bacon that reflects on arts and education 40 years since this seminal report.

View the report

Throughout February 2023, building up to the release of the report, we will be releasing 24 Case Studies (grouped into seven themes), that cover a rich mix of artform specialism, school need, individual focus, community change and inclusive practices.

This suite of case studies was curated by arts researcher Sarah B Davies.

  • Case Study themes and release dates

    02 Feb 2023

    • Theme - Wide range of artforms: how can we ensure children experience the rich benefits of all art forms?
    • Theme - Curriculum need: how can we build a project that supports identified needs in the curriculum?

    09 Feb 2023

    • Theme - Power and voice: how do we embed the voices of children and young people and increase their ability to lead?
    • Theme - Building equity: how do we make sure our project is inclusive, embraces the needs of children and builds equity?
    • Theme 5 - Wellbeing: how can our project respond to and help improve pupils’ wellbeing?

    23 Feb 2023

    • Theme - Real world: how can we celebrate or address an important local issue?
    • Theme - Area-wide creative change: how can a project embed the arts across multiple schools and settings?

We have included examples across all four areas of the UK, inviting all 10 Bridges across England in their final year of funded activity to contribute, as well as contributions from Nottingham Music Hub, National Theatre of Scotland, Education Scotland and two Welsh arts and education partnerships. The voices and experiences of school leaders, teachers, creative practitioners, pupils and arts organisations echo throughout, as the journeys, impacts and learning are recounted. The resulting suite of case studies spans the last 10 years with many of them more recently situated within the COVID-19 pandemic.

This suite has been designed to be a practical resource with inspiring examples responding to a question you might be asking yourself as you explore the value of the arts in education in your own setting. Each case study has taken a how-to approach, to support you to develop your ideas. They cover a wide variety of perspectives on the value of the arts in schools, grouped into the following seven themes:

Explore the case studies released so far...

Wide range of artforms

How can we ensure children experience the rich benefits of all art forms?

Curriculum need

How can we build a project that supports identified needs in the curriculum?

Power and Voice

How do we embed the voices of children and young people and increase their ability to lead?

Building Equity

How do we make sure our project is inclusive, embraces the needs of children and builds equity?

Wellbeing

How can our project respond to and help improve pupils’ wellbeing?

Real world

How can we celebrate or address an important local issue?

Area-wide creative change

How can a project embed the arts across multiple schools and settings?