The Council for Higher Education in Art and Design is the representative body for the art, design, creative media and related disciplines in higher education, providing leadership on behalf of HE A&D in the UK. Although CHEAD focuses on art and design subjects; these subjects relate closely to other subjects – for example: media, performing arts, architecture, and art and design history – we welcome interaction with and between these subjects.
CHEAD is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. We are steered by a Board of Trustees drawn from our membership and governed by our constitution which sets out our charitable objects which are:
‘to advance education for the public benefit by promoting knowledge and understanding of art and design within higher education institutions’
CHEAD is also a membership organisation with over 70 member institutions across the four UK nations which range from Russell Group universities to small independent art schools.
Civic and Place: framing the role of cultural development in Art and Design Working Paper
We are please to launch a working paper arising from the event in April 2025: Civic and Place: Exploring the Role of the Civic in Art and Design which brought together researchers, educators, practitioners and community stakeholders to examine how art and design can shape, sustain, and animate civic life.The paper is co-authored by:Dr Rowan Bailey, Director of the Centre for Cultural Ecologies in Art, Design and Architecture, University of Huddersfield.Evelyn Wilson, co-Director of National Centre for Academic and Cultural ExchangeDr Rhiannon Jones, Associate Professor (Civic Practice). Head of Civic and Communities, University of Derby.Professor...
"The coaching skill base is so expansive and transformative": Introducing Coaching Tools to Technical Leaders
Ashleigh Pearson is a qualified ILM coach and a member of UAL’s coaching network. Her current research interests include critical thinking through making and facilitating interdisciplinary, embodied and dialogic thinking spaces in art and design HE. In 2024-25, Ashleigh was a participant in the CHEAD Technical Leadership programme. We invited her back to introduce coaching to this year’s cohort and offer them some tools.
Director of Membership and Operations, Joanie Magill interviewed Ashleigh to discuss coaching and the tools she introduced to the cohort and why they matter.
CHEAD Sustainability Think Tank
Join us for our annual update on sustainability activities across the CHEAD network.
