Birmingham Society of Arts & School of Art

The Birmingham Society of Arts & School of Art (also known as School of Design) evolved from The Birmingham Society of Artists, a society whose purpose was not only to promote and support its members but also to educate aspiring artists. It was approached by the Government Council of the School of Art and Design, London, with the suggestion that it be made into an Art School. The Council insisted that to receive their funding the Society would have to make the School of Design their sole object. After a few months the Society of Artists, faced with paying rent to the nascent School of Design, disengaged from the venture. In September 1843 The Birmingham Society of Arts and School of Design was founded as an independent entity. The Society had a number of homes until 1853 when it partnered with the Birmingham and Midland Institute, taking rooms on its premises, residing at its building on Paradise Street, Birmingham until 1885. From this date it came under direct control of the Town Council and was renamed the Birmingham Municipal School of Art, Central School - the country's first municipal art school, which would go on to become a leading centre for the Arts and Crafts Movement. In 1971 Municipal School of Art became Birmingham Polytechnic's Faculty of Art and Design, which in 1988 became Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, and then in 2007, Birmingham City University.