 School of Art and Design Building, Margaret Street | |
Former names | Birmingham School of Fine Art |
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| Type | Art school |
| Active | 1843–1971 |
| Location | ,, 52°28′52.42″N1°54′11.97″W / 52.4812278°N 1.9033250°W /52.4812278; -1.9033250 |
| Affiliations | Birmingham City University Birmingham Institute of Art and Design |
| Website | [1] |
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TheBirmingham School of Art was a municipal art school based in the centre ofBirmingham, England. Although the organisation was absorbed byBirmingham Polytechnic in 1971 and is now part ofBirmingham City University's Faculty of Arts, Design and Media, itsGrade I listed[1] building on Margaret Street remains the home of the university's Department of Fine Art and is still commonly referred to by its original title.
The origins of the School of Art lie with theRoyal Birmingham Society of Artists, who founded theBirmingham Government School of Design in 1843.George Wallis (1811–1891),Wolverhampton-born artist and art educator, was its headmaster in 1852–1858.
In 1877, theTown Council was persuaded by the school's energetic headmasterEdward R. Taylor to take the school over and expand it to form the United Kingdom's first municipal college of art. With funding coming fromSir Richard and George Tangye,[2] the current building was commissioned from architectJohn Henry Chamberlain.
In 1885, the school became the first Municipal School of Art. It later becomes the leading centre for theArts and Crafts Movement.[3]
An associated School of Architecture was formed in 1909 and received recognition by theRoyal Institute of British Architects in 1923. By the 1960s, the School had outgrown the original Margaret Street building and expanded into the campus of theUniversity of Aston inGosta Green.
In 1971, with the founding of Birmingham Polytechnic, the School of Art lost its independence and became the Polytechnic's Faculty of Art and Design. In 1988, this in turn absorbed the formerBournville College of Art to form theBirmingham Institute of Art and Design, the largest centre for education in art, design and the media in the United Kingdom outsideLondon. Birmingham Polytechnic gaineduniversity status in 1992 as the University of Central England, which was renamedBirmingham City University in 2007.
David Taborn , painter
The School of Art Archive is now held at Birmingham City University.[6] The University of Birmingham'sCadbury Research Library holds material related to the Arts and Crafts movement that occurred in the school, when it was sometimes referred to as the Birmingham College of Arts and Crafts.[7] Both collections include examples of the influence of Leonard Jay, who taught at the school and had a significant impact on mid-20th century printing.
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