HOW TO SET UP AN ART SCHOOL.

How to Set Up an Art School is a collection of essays, activities, illustrations and reflections, curated by Emma Edmondson, founder of The Other MA (TOMA).

The book provides invaluable insights for artists seeking to establish alternative art schools and learning spaces, blending practical guidance with critical inquiry into the politics of creative education. 

Emerging from a climate of austerity, the book cites the founding of TOMA as an act of resistance against the dismantling of public creative education in the UK. It examines how the personal is inherently political, shedding light on the shared yet isolating experiences of artists navigating neoliberal structures.

Tracing TOMA’s evolution from an experimental, process-driven studio initiative to a thriving artist-led educational platform, the book underscores the role of education as both an artistic medium and a form of activism. It encourages artists to envision themselves beyond the constraints of the traditional art market, embracing alternative modes of art-making as strategies for creative survival within capitalism. 

Key features include a detailed map of alternative art schools across the UK and documentation of collaborative dialogues where these schools reflect on their structures, successes, failures, and the potential for a collective support network. The book critically interrogates TOMA’s mission to support artists who face barriers to formal art education, questioning how these values translate into practice. 

Rooted in nearly a decade of activity, this publication has grown from conversations within, around, and beyond TOMA. It brings together contributions from and conversations with Lolly Adams, Marsha Bradfield, Emma Edmondson, Gülşen Güler, Sophie Hope, Edi McGurk, Ames Pennington, and Elle Reynolds alongside UK-based alternative art schools; Alt MFA, Black Blossoms, Conditions, Day School, Feral Art School, Hastings Art School (now Nimble Art School), not/nowhere, School of the Damned and Syllabus.

The book also reimagines how alternative art schools can be evaluated, exploring a methodology that captures the lived, embodied experiences of participants beyond conventional assessment frameworks. Ultimately, How to Set Up an Art School serves as both a practical resource and a critical reflection on the political, social, and creative stakes of independent art education.

This work has been funded by Arts Council England, Bruce McLean and Necessity.