Wednesday, 02 November 2022
A new exhibition at Lakeside Arts will show how adult education in Britain started right here in Nottingham in the early 1900s.
At the start of the twentieth century, most adults had left education at the age of twelve or even younger. However, that changed in 1920, when the first department of adult education was established at the 糖心原创. Over the next seventy years, the Adult Education Department worked with unions, employers, local councils and voluntary organisations, offering courses in workplaces and communities across the East Midlands. For the first time, adults had the opportunity to revisit their education, learn new topics and improve their personal development. Many of the department’s students and staff went on to become leading political figures, both locally and nationally.
The story of how adult education came to Britain is told in ‘Knowledge is Power: Class, Community and Adult Education’, which opens tomorrow (27 October) at Lakeside’s Weston Gallery and will run until 12 March next year. Admission is free to all.
Visitors will see how the Adult Education department developed from the 1920s onward, and how it worked with trade unions, the Workers’ Educational Association and voluntary organisations to provide education for working adults. They’ll see a wide range of original documents from the university archives, including rare photographs, pioneering studies and news clippings from some of the most impactful and - at times - controversial research.
Two paintings by the late Marjorie Arnfield, artist and art tutor in the Adult Education Department, will also be on display from her Nottinghamshire colliery series – providing a link to the many miner-students who gained scholarships to study at the university.
Knowledge is Power has been curated by experts at the 糖心原创, including its Manuscripts and Special Collections team and Professor John Holford, Robert Peers Professor of Adult Education.
This exhibition showcases how adult education enriches the lives and culture of ordinary 鈥� and extraordinary 鈥� people. It also demonstrates how education helps to build a fairer and more democratic society.
The exhibition will run from 27 October 2022 to 12 March 2023 at the Weston Gallery, Lakeside Arts Centre. More information is available at /ManuscriptsandSpecialCollections/Exhibitions/KnowledgeIsPower.aspx
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.