J. Swift, Women and art education at Birmingham's art schools 1880-1920: Social class, opportunity and aspiration, J ART DESIG, 18(3), 1999, pp. 317-326
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.