Arts Colleges act as a local point of reference for other schools and businesses in the area, with an emphasis on promoting art within the community.
History
Arts Colleges were introduced in 1997 as part of the now defunct specialist schools programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary and primary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, the performing, visual and/or media arts. After Arts Colleges were introduced to Northern Ireland, an additional digital specialism was made available. Schools that successfully applied to the Specialist Schools Trust and became Arts Colleges received extra funding from this joint private sector and government scheme.
Under the specialist schools programme, schools that wished to specialise had to raise £100,000 (later £50,000) in a private sponsorship bid.[14] Many individuals and organisations supported schools wishing to achieve Arts College status. Film producer, educator and adviser to the Blair government, Lord David Puttnam, often supported bids for Arts College status and still calls on schools to expand arts provision in their curriculum.[15][16]Arts Council England supported English schools that were designating as Arts Colleges.[17] The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, deliverer of the specialist schools programme, also supported schools who wished to receive Arts College status, extending this support to designated Arts Colleges seeking re-designation.[18]