I am proud to be a patron of ukadia. I am pleased to see NALN’s work, as part of ukadia, continue, helping students from under-represented groups into higher education in the arts and onto a fulfilling career.

I grew up not really knowing what a contemporary artist was. I did not enter an art gallery until my mid teens. I did not equate my imaginary world with what I saw hanging on the walls at the Tate. I was very lucky my art teacher who despite being appalled by my spoken grammar spotted my unconscious leaking on to the paper and thought rightly that I would do well at art school. 

The value of art college is that rather than training you to make money it exposes you to the sensitivity needed to operate in the art world. For many years I struggled with the feeling that I was an imposter in the art world. I always expected a tap on the shoulder and someone telling me this world of galleries and museums was not for people like me. Now the art world is my community, my village, they speak my language and have accepted me for what I am.

The legacy of NALN’s work, you could say, is about instilling a confidence in students as part of an educational journey; about a sense of entitlement and playing a part in our culture. It is vital that arts institutions do carry on this work of trying to be more inclusive and recognise artists and designers whatever their background.This is important not just for individuals but increasingly for our economy.

Alot of emphasis has been put on the role creative and cultural industries could play in bringing the country out of the economic downturn. In this current climate, ukadia’s influencing role is vital to demonstrate exactly why the creative and cultural industries make such a sizeable contribution to the GDP, and the pivotal role FE & HE institutions have in the evolution of these industries. We must continue to provide support for students now so a more diverse and representative community of practitioners and academics starts to become a reality for the future, and play a part in its ongoing transformation.

The arts are not a trivial add-on, they are the life and soul of the country that just happens to be earning as much as the city and employs more people who are probably happier!