Artist-led Publishing
Art School Confidential 2024
We commissioned 18 artists to share honest reflections on art school, from the best bits to the hard lessons to alternative paths entirely. The result is a vivid snapshot of how artists learn, grow, and sustain their practice, well beyond any single institution.
gobscure, Art House residency event 2017, photo by Jules Lister
Art School Confidential ran as part of our Back to School with Axis season. We invited artists to tell us what they wish they had learned, what actually helped, and where non-traditional learning thrives. Responses ranged from practical survival tips and critiques of hierarchy to stories of community, care, and finding rhythm in practice.
What we did
- Open call to members to share their insights reflecting on art school and learning
- Commissioned 18 contributions
- Published as a feature collection
- Encouraged community discussion across the Axis Community and Instagram
Why it mattered
- Centred lived experience from across career stages
- Surfaced alternative learning routes and peer-led models
- Offered practical insight
- Gave artists a space to speak openly about their experiences of learning and the realities of art education
Contributors
Laura Lulika, Alastair Levy, Lee Oakley, Sian Williams, KP Culver, Richard James Hall, Adam Charlton, Shelley Theodore, Zoé Green, Jacki Clarke, Nancy Violet Downs, Holly Rowan Hesson, Liyana Azmi, Amber Marsh, Liz Sergeant, Lucy Bevin, Dorothy Hunter, and Ruth Wallace.
Selected insights
“As an artist you are a one-person business, the sooner you realise this the more freedom you can achieve.”
Alastair Levy
“Closing the gap between life and practice will give oxygen to your work.”
Lee Oakley
“Community and non-hierarchical learning unlock curiosity and play.”
Zoé Green
Read Art School Confidential
- You can read all eighteen pieces in full at Art School Confidential on our site, here
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Axis is an artist-led charity supporting contemporary visual artists with resources, connection, and visibility.