In Ontario, arts education is obligatory – so why is it a luxury in London?
The UK economy depends on the creative industries, yet continuously sidelines arts in education. It’s time to follow Canada, says the Barbican’s Devyani Saltzman
In Canada, where I come from, arts education is mandated in every province and territory. In Ontario, although the arts have and continue to be vulnerable to funding cuts, all primary school children receive arts instruction and high school students must take an arts subject to graduate.
Contrast this with the UK, where arts GCSEs have plummeted by 42 per cent since 2010 and creative subjects are dropped in favour of STEM and a test-led curriculum. Arts provision in schools is at crisis point. And too many young people in Britain – especially in our most underserved communities – are growing up without access to the cultural experiences that should be a right – not a privilege.
Our economy depends on the arts
This is a national emergency. Mountains of evidence shows that creative learning is critical for a child’s development. At the Barbican, we see firsthand what happens when young people engage with the arts. It’s transformative and long-lasting. It builds confidence, fosters empathy and provides an outlet for self-expression. It can be a source of wellbeing, turn doubt into self-belief and unlock potential a child never knew they had. In a world increasingly shaped by AI, it reminds us what makes us human.
We are depriving a whole generation of a way of relating to and being in the world, rooted in creativity and empathy. And this isn’t just about nurturing the next great artist, writer or performer – though we must do that too. We also cannot afford this cultural erosion. The skills that the arts develop – problem solving, collaboration, independent thinking – our economy depends on them, especially the UK’s world leading creative industries. Ignore them, and we weaken our own workforce. Yet, too often, governments have pushed the arts to the margins of education, treating them as optional, a ‘nice-to-have’, rather than an essential pillar of learning and development.
Yes, the current government is more supportive, which is encouraging. But this is a shared responsibility. Local councils, schools, charities, philanthropists and arts institutions – we all have a role to play. That’s why, at the Barbican, we’re taking action as I launch our artistic mandate and vision (2025-30), with our ongoing commitment to the arts in education as a key pillar.
The Barbican is ready to act
Today, we announce a landmark partnership with The Harris Federation, a network of 55 schools that one in 27 London pupils attend. Over the next two years, we’ll embed creativity into the curriculum, deliver hands-on workshops with thousands of children and train many of the federation’s 500 teachers annually. And crucially, we will ensure that children from some of the most disadvantaged areas experience the arts firsthand – through free visits to Barbican exhibitions, theatre performances, music events and creative workshops – they will even collaborate with us on creative programming .
Later this year, we’ll be expanding our Young Barbican scheme – a free membership programme for 14-25 year-olds – with more free events, subsidised tickets, a loyalty scheme and new digital membership to make access easier. By the end of 2026, we aim to reach 100,000 members ensuring that more young people can experience world-class art.
But it can’t just be about individual institutions stepping up. We need systemic change. The Centre for London’s Arts for All report, launched today at the Barbican, outlines a clear, urgent recommendation: the government must prioritise the arts in the national curriculum. Every child in the UK, no matter their background, should have access to cultural learning as a fundamental part of their education.
This isn’t a radical idea. Canada does it. Finland, Germany, Denmark – all of them understand the value of arts education. Yet the UK continues to sideline it, despite our creative industries contributing £126bn to the economy last year alone. The cost of doing nothing is clear – a generation will be robbed of creative potential, a workforce ill-equipped for the future, a society that undervalues its own culture and ignores its potential. Access to the arts and cultural learning is not a privilege. It’s a right. If we want a fairer, more imaginative and more inclusive future, we must fight for every child to have the access they deserve. 96 per cent of Ontarians say engaging children in the arts is crucial for their development – they can‘t all be wrong.
Devyani Saltzman is the Barbican’s director for arts and participation