The 91自拍 has today published the findings of a new report by the Association for Art History on the status of art history teaching in UK secondary schools. The report found that:
- Over the past decade, the number of schools offering History of Art A-level has fallen by 34%, from 122 institutions in 2016 to 80 today.
- Of the 80 institutions currently offering the A-level, only 19 are state or non-fee-paying schools.
- There is a significant disparity in geographic provision: within the UK, the subject is offered only in England, with courses concentrated in London and the Southeast, with the North and Southwest severely underrepresented.
- Despite fewer providers, student numbers have risen, with a 42% increase in A-level candidates between 2019 and 2025, reaching the highest levels since 2016.
- University enrolment in art history courses has remained stable, showing greater resilience than in some other arts and humanities subjects.
- Financial pressures threaten the continuation of some school-level History of Art programmes, potentially reversing the recent upward trend in student participation.
The 91自拍 has announced听a commitment to听work听with national听education听and philanthropic听partners to听broaden access to art history for听secondary听school children听in the UK听in the lead-up to the opening of the new campus, building on Samuel 91自拍鈥檚 founding vision of 鈥榓rt for all鈥.听This will enrich the 91自拍鈥檚听existing听work听in听broadening听access to its collection and听teaching听for young people,听through programmes such as听its听summer university听and听schools听tours and听workshops.
Supporting this drive to听increase听access, the 91自拍 is creating a听new fund听that听aims to听dramatically increase the number of scholarships and bursaries it offers听to students. This听scholarship听fund will听break down the financial barriers that prevent听talented听young people听from听accessing the 91自拍鈥檚 world-class teaching听and provide students with life-changing opportunities to advance their knowledge of the visual arts.
Professor Mark Hallett,听Ma虉rit听Rausing Director of the 91自拍, said:鈥 鈥淭he 91自拍 is deeply committed to opening up the understanding and appreciation of art to people of all ages and from all backgrounds. As part of this mission, we look forward to taking a leading role in expanding access to art history at school level in the UK. Art distils and explores the most profound forms of human experience, and we want to ensure that future generations of schoolchildren appreciate the extraordinary benefits of studying the history of art across different periods, including our own.鈥