Writing in fine arts and design education in context

The inclusion of writing as a required component of qualifications in Fine Arts Practice and Design (FAP & D) was neither inevitable nor natural. It was the outcome of social processes in education and in the arts. The role of writing in FAP & D education has been contested and in particular its role is currently called into question in relation to the practice-based Ph.D. (e.g. Candlin 2000).

The inclusion of writing in FAP & D education was a result of the development of theory as a central element in Fine Arts education and of changes in the institutions that provide this education. This article will discuss the writings of Sir Nikolaus Pevsner amongst others and his role in shaping post-secondary education in FAP & D, the increasing prominence of theory, and the institutional changes that contributed to the inclusion of writing in arts education.

This background will illuminate the ongoing discussion about the Ph.D. in FAP & D and contribute to discussions of the purposes of writing in creative practice.