Art education beyond anti-racism: A Manifesto to dismantle whiteness

Despite varied initiatives by art schools to design anti-racist curricula, the attainment gaps in the art and design HE sector between White vs Black and global majority students is increasing. But institutional approaches largely rely on work by staff who are Black and global majority, who are activists and feminists and become even more marginalized in the face of resistant white colleagues. Many leave the sector. The already minoritised students despair, and, hey, white domination reproduces itself.

To challenge racism in our art schools, is this really the best we can imagine?

In our presentation two educators reflect on the challenges of whiteness in art education. We ask where and how can we undo whiteness in art schools, in art history, in the art world. Developing such a practice would transform racist curricula and pedagogies to not just imagine, but work towards a pluriversal and equitable art education for all.