ABOUT
Q-Art, ‘Questioning Art’, is an events and publishing organisation that demystifies higher level art education and shares practices across universities. We produce books and videos that feature interviews with further and higher education art staff from across a range of institutions and organise symposia and workshops to share the findings. For 10 years we also ran a cross-college crit programme for art students and graduates across London to share and discuss work.
- Offer prospective further and higher education art students insight to HE fine art pedagogy and practices so that they know what to expect and can be better prepared for their courses.
- Provide tools that help current further and higher education art students navigate their curriculum and prepare them for life after art school.
- Inspire art staff at secondary, further and higher education level by sharing approaches to teaching across the sector.
- We are an independent organisation that has partnered with over 120art colleges, arts organisations, museums, and galleries to deliver our activity and reach a wide audience.
- We share knowledge and facilitate dialogue across school, FE and HE students and staff; artists; and arts organisations.
• 5 publications that have sold 3,578 copies • 70 cross college crits attracting 2,637 participants and 420 presenters • 300 artists exhibited in 6 annual exhibitions • 8 symposia attracting 942 participants and 90 speakers • 1220 secondary school students participated in 81 ‘Introduction to the Crit’ workshops • 320 individuals attended 7 gallery tours • 204 media professionals participated in 12 corporate workshops • 105 undergraduate staff attended 5 ‘Facilitating Crits’ workshops • 65 undergraduate students participated in 3 ‘Negotiating the Crit’ workshops • 40 Secondary School staff participated in 2 ‘Introducing the Crit into the Curriculum’ workshops • 8 British Sign Language Interpreted Crits with Shape Arts • 32 talks to Higher Education Staff at training events and sector conferences and 27 talks to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
See details in our 2008-2017 Progress Report.
Our team
Our team have always shared the aims and ethos of the organisation. Originally BA Fine Art students, all are now all graduates working in various roles within the art sector.
Founding Director
I set up Q-Art in 2008 whilst a BA Art Practice student at Goldsmiths in order to demystify higher level art education and the contemporary art world and have acted as Director of the organisation since this time. I have taken the lead on all 5 Q-Art publications and on the curation and facilitation of our workshops and symposia. I completed my Doctorate in Eduction at the Institute of Education University College London in 2024 on the role of BA Fine Art education in the production of contemporary artists. Since March 2025 I have been working as a postdoctoral researcher in fine art pedagogy at University of the Arts Helsinki. I have also worked as a 0.5 lecturer teaching contextual studies and professional practice at Arts University Bournemouth; as a postgraduate teaching assistant on MA Art Education, Culture and Practice at the Institute of Education University College London; and as a researcher for The Glasgow School of Art; The Higher Education Academy, The Council for Higher Education in Art and Design; The Contemporary Visual Arts Network; The Arts Society; and a-n. I am an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the RSA, and a former World Economic Forum Global Shaper. I have been on the steering groups of the National Association of Fine Art Education (NAFAE) and Artquest.
Co-Director
Jo graduated from Goldsmiths in 2010 and was involved with Q-Art until 2018, working as co-director from 2015. She shared Q-Art’s goal of breaking down barriers to art education and the contemporary art world and was particularly concerned about the arts being undervalued and squeezed out of compulsory education, and the impact this has on access to art education at FE and HE level. Jo says ‘I love being involved in Q-Art’s Talking about art workshops, where we encourage young people to engage with work in galleries and museums on their own terms. Seeing them gain the confidence to bring their own references to their interpretations with enthusiasm is always inspiring. As well as working with Q-Art I run children’s art clubs at my local community centre. I also devise and run curriculum-linked art projects in schools and work with Accessart – providers of inspirational resources for teachers of art. I hold a City and Guilds Level 3 Qualification in Teaching and Training, and an enhanced DBS check.’
Crit Manager
Karen graduated from The Cass in 2013 at the age of 43 and worked as Q-Art Crit manager from 2013-2017. Karen said ‘As a mature student I embraced my art education, living out my art school fantasy to its fullest potential. I now consider myself an outsider who has experienced education! My involvement with Q-Art helped answer and raise questions within my own practice and has given me the confidence to speak out during critiques and engage with all art mediums. Through Q-Art I hope to encourage others to not be afraid to say what they are really thinking when they look at and experience contemporary art. Outside of Q-Art I also run CAVE – a community supported space in Pimlico, and work for ETAT (Encouragement Through the Arts and Talking)’.
Workshop Facilitator
Rachel graduated from BA Fine Art at Goldsmiths in 2011 and gained a PGCE in post-compulsory education from the Institute of Education in 2016. She worked with Q-Art from 2013 – 2017 in various roles including workshop and event facilitator. Rachel said ‘I believe that art education is valuable as a means to engage with the world in a particularly meaningful way. I am interested in how and where it achieves this and how to replicate and share it, particularly in a climate where the arts and art education are under threat.’ Rachel is now working as an associate lecturer in visual cultures at Goldsmiths where she is also studying for a PhD.
Workshop Facilitator
In 2015 Katie graduated from Central Saint Martins with a degree in Fine Art. She first became involved with Q-Art as a volunteer university representative, supporting the Q-Art crit programme and worked with the organisation from 2012-2017 as a workshop facilitator and administrator. Katie said ‘I was attracted to the organisation because of its goal to widen understanding and participation in the arts and arts education’. Katie is the founder of G George Arts and has an MA in Computational Arts . She has worked for the Society for Research Into Higher Education as Business Development Lead and as a Lecturer in Computational Arts at Goldsmiths.
Maggie first encountered Q-Art in 2009 through the crit programme whilst studying for a BA Fine Art at the Cass and worked in an advisory capacity for Q-Art from 2012-2017. Maggie has extensive experience in education and teaching having been a Teacher of Modern Languages, Head of Year and a Deputy Head Teacher. She was a founding tutor on the Teach First programme, and has experience in urban education and regeneration. She was Director of Foundation for Raising Achievement, a cross-borough regeneration project with Tower Hamlets, Newham, Bexley, Greenwhich and Lewisham. In addition to her BA in Fine Art she holds an MSc in Psychological Assessment in Organisations, an MIL in French, a postgraduate Diploma in Linguistics and have Qualified Teacher Status.
Other previous contributors to the Q-Art team include: Emily Wallis (founding member), Craig Edwards (fundraising), Charlie Wainwright (admin and front of house), Isabelle Gressell (workshop facilitator and proof reader), Peng Zuqiang (website manager), Luis Ignacio Rodriguez (Annual Exhibition Curator), Jeff Ko (University Rep); Krishen Kanadia (website manager); Jheni Arboine (workshop facilitator); Marie Taylor (workshop facilitator); Amelia Webster (workshop facilitator); Jens Dan Johansen (designer); Amy Downes and Jonas Skafte (website developers) .