This literature review offers an historical and theoretical overview of arts education, its place in the English curriculum, and its relationship with creative learning and creativity education. It centres on official policy discourse and attempts to outline key moments and movements in the history of arts education over the last 120 years. One of the author’s key messages is that we should not lump all the arts together and short synopses of four discrete arts disciplines make this argument very clearly.

This report will be useful for those interested in arts and creative education. It offers a serious and sophisticated review of the concept of arts education and should be of use to those interested in this area.

This publication can be accessed in braille, large print, on audio CD and in electronic form.