Social Change through Art Short Course

This inspiring 5-week short course at Chelsea College of Arts provides a critical overview of the role art, artists and art institutions play in challenging and shaping the beliefs of our society and the ethical responsibilities they face.

During the course, students gain an insight into the history of art and social change and develop an understanding of current themes and debates. Students explore and research debates around race and culture, gender, the environment, disability, ageing and power relations in art.

By the end of the course, students will be able to identify and evaluate relevant sources and literature, collect data and apply critical theory in the analysis of issues relating to art and ethics. In the process, students gain confidence in presenting well-researched and sustained arguments in an appropriate form.

By the end of the course students should:

• Have gained a deeper knowledge of how to be culturally sensitive within their work or social environment

• Understand how they can make art that communicates a socially motivated message

• Understand how to discuss and debate social and environmental topics within art

• Have explored contemporary art that connects with current social, cultural and environmental concerns

• Have learnt how to contextualise their own work in today’s artistic landscape

• Have a better understanding of critical research and how to conduct it

• Understand the impact of art in exploring social, environmental and ecological issues

• Understand how to discuss current debates around cultural appropriation, art mental health and neurodiversity

• Understand power relationships in art relating to gender, race, disability, age and other identities

• Be able to demonstrate a series of clearly identified and focused research topics relating to art and ethics, with special focus on their topic of interest