This presentation explores the integration of foundational practices and behaviours into post-graduate fine art education.

‘Building Belonging in Higher Education’ (Blake, Capper, Jackson) was a 2022 Pearson research project, which emphasised the importance of fostering students’ sense of belonging in higher education environments. The report highlighted the need for renewed attention to this aspect, particularly in the aftermath of the Covid-19 disruptions, alongside economic uncertainties, and global conflicts. It proposed a framework centred on the ‘Four Foundations of Belonging’: Connection, Inclusion, Support, and Autonomy.

This presentation investigates how these foundations of belonging can be applied within the context of the UK Art Foundation programme. By critically examining the traditional Foundation approach, it assesses its efficacy in nurturing a sense of belonging.

Drawing on a case study of the MA Fine Art course at Chelsea College of Arts, the presentation evaluates the potential effectiveness of a foundational approach within post-graduate fine art study. Patricia Ellis, as the Course Leader for the MA Fine Art, implemented an approach that could be characterised as ‘radically foundational’. Recognising the diverse international composition of the MA cohort, pedagogical initiatives, particularly at the outset of the course, aimed to celebrate differences such as educational and cultural backgrounds, fostering an inclusive environment. These initiatives, including the formation of ‘family groups’, diverged significantly from past approaches that assumed prior foundational awareness. Instead, they were designed to welcome and cultivate a sense of belonging and provide a foundational experience aimed at enabling students to thrive on the rest of the course.

Reflecting on further initiatives at the Royal College of Arts and Glasgow School of Art the presentation will ask how foundations of belonging might be emphasised on PG Art programmes