Opening doors to the future: Art Summer School 2025

Our free Art Summer School gives local young people the space, support, and freedom to create and to imagine futures as artists.

On a bright Friday evening in August, the St James’ Annexe was alive with colour, sound, and imagination. Families, friends, and staff gathered to celebrate the work of young artists who had spent the past two weeks at the Goldsmiths Summer Art School, our biggest cohort yet, with almost twice as many participants as last year.

More than just workshops – permission to create

The Art Summer School is a space where young people from our local community can experiment freely, take creative risks, and discover the power of art to transform how they see themselves and the world.

This year’s participants painted, sculpted, built installations, and explored digital media, often trying out materials and ideas for the very first time. They also had access to their own studio spaces, took part in gallery and artist studio visits, collaborated on large-scale projects, and received portfolio and career advice. One-to-one mentoring supported them to develop their own art projects, culminating in a public exhibition of their work.

Peer-to-peer approach

Current Goldsmiths students are employed throughout the two-week programme, giving them the chance to develop their skills and enhance their future employability. The School of Art is committed to creating opportunities for both current students and recent graduates, supporting their personal and professional development.

This commitment is reflected not only in the Summer School but also in initiatives such as the Junior Fellow programme, alumni talks, and student-led studio visits. By embedding this peer-to-peer approach, the Summer School helps dismantle barriers to art education while creating opportunities for emerging artists to thrive.

For many, what mattered most wasn’t simply learning new techniques or receiving feedback and advice, it was being given permission to create.

In conversations during the exhibition, young people spoke about the sense of support they felt and the freedom to express themselves without limits: something new, valuable, and deeply appreciated.

Open, free, and inclusive

What makes the Summer Art School unique is that it is free to all participants aged 16–18 and currently studying at school or FE college. In a landscape where access to creative opportunities is often restricted by cost, aspiring young artists can step into one of the world’s leading art departments without financial barriers.

We also actively encourage and prioritise applications from young people who are traditionally underrepresented in the arts, including those in the care system and Pupil Premium students.

Every participant who completes the course also receives a guaranteed interview for a place on one of Goldsmiths’ undergraduate Fine Art programmes, should they wish to apply and meet the entry requirements.

For some, the programme was their first time stepping into an artist’s studio. For others, it was a vital step towards seeing themselves as professional artists or creative professionals in the future.

Lily German, who leads the programme, said: “Congratulations to the young artists who filled this year's Art Summer School with creativity, risk-taking, openness, and a strong sense of community.”

“The two weeks concluded with a celebration event that presented an impressive group of works by the artists. Thank you to the Art Summer School team and to our contributors this year who supported artist talks, studio visits and visits to local organisations, these included Tawfik Naas, Ash Appadu, Lily Ashrowan, Mezzanine Studios, Sam Edkins, South London Gallery and Bold Tendencies.”

Following in the footsteps of giants

Goldsmiths’ art department has long been a launchpad for some of the most influential artists and creatives of our time. From Damien Hirst, Yinka Shonibare, and Bridget Riley, to Sam Taylor-Johnson and Sir Steve McQueen, whose career has spanned the Turner Prize, BAFTAs, and an Academy Award.

For the young people who took part this summer, creating work where these artists trained offered a glimpse of what their own future might hold and the chance to imagine themselves as part of that lineage.

Part of our Civic University Agreement

The Goldsmiths Summer Art School is delivered in collaboration between our Widening Participation team and the Art Department. It also plays an important role in supporting commitments made in our  Civic University Agreement, which requires the university to work in partnership with other local anchor institutions to meet the needs of our surrounding communities – including in relation to creative education and social mobility.

Alongside initiatives such as the AI Club and Robotics workshops with Addey and Stanhope School, it reflects Goldsmiths’ mission to open doors, expand horizons, and ensure the next generation can see higher education and creative possibility as something that belongs to them.