Art school education was first publicly funded in the UK during the reign of King Charles 1 in the 17th century, and developed in the 18th century through the establishment of academies of art supported by the likes of Reynolds, Hogarth and Gainsborough.

The training and skills section covers a huge range of course providers and less formal educational opportunities open to visual artists and craftspeople.

Art education has undergone radical changes in recent years not just in the content of courses but also in the funding and administration of the colleges themselves.