Celebrating 200 years of art education

Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) celebrated 200 years of the Liverpool Art School with students, staff, alumni and the wider artistic community at an event on campus. 

This year is a huge moment in LJMU’s history as the art school marks its own bicentenary, celebrating 200 years of the Liverpool School of Art and Creative Industries. 

With origins tracing back to 1825, the school of art is the oldest in England outside of London. 

200 celebrations 

Guests from across  the North West, Liverpool City Region,  the artistic and wider LJMU community were invited to LJMU’s John Lennon Art and Design Building as part of the latest event in the calendar to mark the incredible milestone.  

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark Power, welcomed those in attendance to the event and reflected on the milestone: 

“I began my career at LJMU in the art school and I have been privileged to work alongside many of the staff and, over the years, thousands of students who have contributed to the legacy of the School of Art.   

“Since the 18th century, art has been a defining feature of Liverpool civic life and this school has continued to make a major contribution to the city’s rich cultural heritage. Our partnerships across the city region also include areas of enormous strength in the creative industries. 

“We are plugged into the creative and cultural life of the city so that we can influence and advocate for our students and the work that we do helps provide support for the arts sector to create the pipelines for talented students to secure meaningful jobs in the region." 

Art isn’t passive.  It provokes audiences in positive and thoughtful ways – we need to be challenged and moved by art and the fact that we are celebrating 200 years of the School of Art is testament to the importance of that continued heritage and its presence in our daily lives. Who knows where the next 200 years will take us.” 

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark Power

Marking 200 years in 2025

As the end of 2025 approaches, and with still more celebrations to come, look back at some of the ways in which the university has already marked 200 years of the art school including during Liverpool’s Biennial and the hosting of the International Biennial Association, the school Degree Show with our 2025 art school graduates. 

Get involved in the remaining 2025 celebrations 

Liverpool School of Art: The Creative Ecosystem 

Friday 7 and Saturday 15 November 

Celebrate 200 years of the Liverpool School of Art in creating an ecosystem mind map of Liverpool's connections to its art education history. 

As part of the Being Human Festival, and as one of the many celebrations for the School's bicentenary, the public is invited to participate in making a huge map to identify the people and organisations which connect in any way, shape, form, or time to the School since its formation in 1825 - discovering the creative ecosystem of Liverpool's art education history in the process. Find out more and register for the free event. 

This event is part of Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities, taking place 6 - 15 November 2025. Led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, with  support from Research England, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy.  

Back to the Drawing Board: 200 Years of Art Education 

Back to the Drawing Board: 200 Years of Art Education is an exhibition to showcase some of the known and lesser-known histories of art education in Liverpool. 

The exhibition, curated by LJMU Special Collections & Archives is available to view at LJMU’s Mount Pleasant Campus Library until Friday 19 December.  

Historical Honorary Fellow gown exhibition 

Students from the school have selected a number of LJMU Honorary Fellows to profile in an exhibition featuring their gowns.  The bespoke gowns were designed and created by the fashion department from the 1990s to 2010 and will be on display around the school for the first week in December. 

The Liverpool School of Art and Creative Industries 

Find out more about the Liverpool School of Art and Creative Industries.