Embracing the energy of activism

Thirty years ago, Engage, the National Association for Gallery Education, was formed to support access to the visual arts. As a founder member, I’ve been reflecting on what motivated gallery educators three decades ago and what spurs them on today. 

A striking aspect of gallery education practice in the 1980s and 1990s was a close allegiance with activism and radical practice. Gallery education drew on the community arts movement, which strove to effect social change and cultural democracy through the arts. Gallery educators were interested in issues as diverse as cultural democracy, feminism, the environmental movement, new art histories and campaigns giving prominence to black and disabled artists. 

While much has changed in the past three decades, gallery educators remain activists. Our latest Engage Journal, published as part of our 30th-birthday celebrations, explores current-day activism in gallery education, and demonstrates it is alive and well. 

This is hardly surprising. Many issues have become more acute: for example, climate change and the concern to stimulate debate and promote activism through the arts. Other issues remain, such as the challenge for cultural organisations to engage with new audiences in an equitable way. And some matters have become more complex. 

In the past decade, art, craft and design education in the UK have been placed under huge pressure and this, coupled with a downturn in public investment in the arts, threatens access to the arts for children and young people. It is our responsibility to redress this trend and to nurture the future UK creative and cultural workforce and audiences for the arts. 

It’s more than 20 years since the publication of A Common Wealth, David Anderson’s influential review of museum learning, and the Museums Association has again been discussing the future of museum learning and engagement. I have been struck by how similar the concerns of museum and gallery educators are, and that many of the issues from two decades ago remain live today. 

There is a common desire to create culturally democratic organisations that serve society. Gallery and museum colleagues have an intrinsic respect for culture, but they also see the potential for arts and culture to make a difference. 

In these challenging times, this gives grounds for optimism. The energy of activism, which powers education work in galleries and museums, is a massive asset that can make a difference to institutions and the audiences with which they engage.