[Commlist] Call for Papers: Creating the future? Creative education and the future of work

Call for Papers: Creating the future? Creative education and the future 
of work (Journal of Education and Work)

This proposed special issue invites reflections on the current crisis in 
creative education and the implications for the future cultural and 
creative workforce.

In the British context, a series of damning publications has identified 
a crisis point for the current state of creative education (Durham 
Commission 2019; CFA 2024; PEC 2024). This crisis has resulted from 
multiple factors; the decline in arts and creative based subject 
provision across primary and secondary level education; policy rhetoric 
that devalues arts and creative-based education at the tertiary level; 
the instrumentalization of economics and the economic value of creative 
education (Ashton 2023); pressures on education and outreach teams in 
cultural institutions; and the decimation of funding to local government 
resulting in the reduction of cultural provision. The Making the 
Creative Majority (Comunian et al., 2023) policy report identified the 
scale of this crisis as one that pans all stages from early years access 
to postgraduate education.

The crisis is not confined to the UK or any one part of the sector. The 
struggle for arts rich schools (Thomson and Hall 2023) in the face of 
education cuts and policy hostility; inequalities in the under and 
post-graduate creative cohorts raise questions about the future 
diversity and inclusion of the creative workforce; and controversy over 
poor career prospects means the link between creative education and 
labour markets is a pressing question. Concerns over the sustainability 
of the relationship between creative education and work is exacerbated 
by discussions of the diversity, or lack thereof, across the cultural 
and creative workforce.

The issue is keen for submissions theorising the place, purpose and 
future of creative education. We particularly encourage submissions that 
relate to:

                 •              The relationship between creative 
education and work in the creative economy.

                 •              The role of creative education in 
creative ecosystems.

                 •              Access to creative education, both 
informal and formal.

                 •              Spatial, racial and class-based 
inequalities across creative education.

                 •              The stratification of creative 
education, from primary to tertiary levels.

                 •              The role/purpose of creative Higher 
Education.

                 •              How creative and arts-based subjects 
are taught/measured in schools.

                 •              STEM vs. STEAM.

                 •              Government and advocacy-organisation 
talent schemes, resources, and campaigning.

                 •              Creative practitioners within school 
education.

                 •              The opportunities, challenges and 
barriers for creative education associated with emerging technologies.

**

*Please click on this link 
<https://cmcikings.blog/2025/06/23/cfps-special-issue-for-the-journal-of-education-and-work/>* for 
more background information on the call including information on the 
editorial team and timeline. No payment from the authors will be required

**

Please send abstracts (max 300 words) along with a brief biographical 
note to Tamsyn Dent (tamsyn.dent /at/ kcl.ac.uk) <mailto:(tamsyn.dent /at/ kcl.ac.uk)> 
by* 8^th  September 2025.*

---------------
The COMMLIST
---------------
This mailing list is a free service offered by Nico Carpentier. Please use it responsibly and wisely.
--
To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit http://commlist.org/
--
Before sending a posting request, please always read the guidelines at http://commlist.org/
--
To contact the mailing list manager:
Email: (nico.carpentier /at/ commlist.org)
URL: http://nicocarpentier.net
---------------