Women and art education at Birmingham's art schools 1880-1920: Social class, opportunity and aspiration

Birmingham's Art School, through its Central and Branch schools and teachin g to elementary schools, offered all art education in the city from the mos t advanced to the most basic. Its influence was considerable in terms of co ntent, method, selection, progression and opportunity. During the forty yea r period of increased autonomy and influence, the opportunities available t o working and middle class female student is examined in terms of success, difference and opportunity. The factors that contextualised the opportuniti es--social, cultural, and industrial enable an analysis of the role of fema le students and staff and interpretations of the evidence.