Why are we doing this work?

We know that the experiences of our students, and therefore the issues they care most about, are both diverse and multifaceted. Arts students are often at the forefront of the Student Movement on social issues, accessibility and improvements to Learning & Teaching.

During the past 18 months, we have seen as unprecedented number of students realise the power of their voice, both individually and collectively, on issues from Black Lives Matter to Trans Visibility to Covid-19. We want to empower our students to stand up for what they believe in, giving them the tools and support to further their causes, be that within UAL structures, through social media or through activism and peaceful protest.

We also want to make sure that you take your skills and passion outside and beyond UAL, looking to link you with organisations and campaigning events that share your interests.

 

What are our primary goals and objectives for this Academic Year?

  • Implement a new system for Democracy and Representation at Arts SU, based on how you told us you wanted to be represented during our Democracy Review.

  • Give our student body the tools and platform to further the issues that you care most about, through campaigning workshops and signposting to events and campaigns both within UAL and on a wider scale.

  • Build relationships with partner organisations which offer community organising training and opportunities to our students.

 

What are we working on?

What is the project: What have we achieved: What is in the pipeline:

We want to give our students the tools and platform to further the issues they care most about, whether thats within UAL or on the wider stage.

 The Sabbatical Officer team ran a safe-space crits alongside the Black History Month Exhibition, which one student described as the 'first place she has been able to openly discuss race' since studying at UAL.

We are organising a Campaigns & Activism Week for early 2022, with campaigning and informational workshops from Black Cultural Archives, UAL Outsourcing Campaign, Migrants in Culture and more (tbc).

UCU-UAL have announced that they will be taking strike action during the 2021/22 Academic Year.

We have organised two events: a Q&A session with UCU-UAL and a session with Campaigns Officer Syahadah Shahril to discuss how the strikes may affect UAL students and what our potential response could be.

Find more details and book now at Whats On.

Following the two events, which will ensure that you are informed and educated on UCU's action, we will be asking you to vote on whether Arts SU formally supports the Strike, at our Annual Members Meeting.

Implementing a new system for Democracy & Representation at Arts SU, ensuring that our systems, priorities and direction are led by our members.

During the 2020/21 Academic Year, we undertook a Democracy Review, where our student members told us how they wanted to be represented. We proposed a new Representation system, which you voted to enact.

 We will have enacted the review by the end of this academic year, introducing Sabbatical Officers based on College, paid community organiser roles, and termly forums for students to feedback and enact change.

Building relationships with partner organisations, to ensure that you have spaces where you feel represented and can further the issues you care about.

 We worked with BHM-UK.Org to signpost students to a number of events during Black History Month. We will be signposted to external events throughout Disability History Month, and will be partnering with a number of organisations for Campaigns & Activism Week.

 

Want to chat to one of our Officers about how you can get involved in this campaign?

A photo of Syahadah, who is wearing a red top.                        A photo of Armani, who is wearing a white top.

Syahadah Shahril, Campaigns Officer             Armani Sutherland, Activities Officer