We, as students from the MA Art Psychotherapy (MAAP) programme wish to express our outrage and concern about Goldsmiths' vandalising our course. 

We are deeply concerned that changes to our programme risk our learning, our welfare, and our client safety. Moreover, these changes have not been communicated transparently to us, or to our clinical placements. We also have significant concerns that the huge reduction in the number of qualified, experienced Art Psychotherapists delivering the program therefore means it falls short of the HCPC’s Standards of Education and Training (against which the course has been approved).

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For over four decades, Art Psychotherapists have tirelessly pursued HCPC accreditation, seeking to validate the importance of the modality. The recent proposals and actions initiated by the Goldsmiths "Transformation Programme" within the MA Art Psychotherapy degree programme threaten to dismantle the substantial progress achieved by art therapists in the field and the MA Art Therapy programme at Goldsmiths. The loss of HCPC accreditation would have profound implications for practicing within various statutory domains, including the NHS, potentially resulting in a total loss and erasure of the field and the protections established by art therapists in the UK thus far.

The proposed changes jeopardise not only future graduates but also current art therapy professionals working in statutory services.

We are aware that other UK courses are also facing challenges and stand in solidarity with them. We recognise that we all must act together to preserve the integrity, recognition, and professional status of Art Psychotherapy, its students, its lecturers and its working professionals.

Should the HCPC deem the changes instigated by Goldsmiths sufficient to revoke Art Psychotherapy’s protected title and accreditation for art therapists, the MA Art Psychotherapy course at Goldsmiths could lose its HCPC accreditation. This course represents one of the last bastions of such accreditation. 

The actions taken by Goldsmiths threaten to undermine the mental health and wellbeing of both lecturers and students, while simultaneously vandalising and erasing the significance of the course and potentially the entire field. 

The concerted efforts of countless individuals to elevate art therapy and its practitioners to their current standing are at risk of being undone.

Our petition follows a series of group complaints which have been ongoing since May 2024, which have outlined our continued concern around the ‘Transformation Programme’. Unfortunately, we have not received an answer from Goldsmiths Warden and the Senior Management Team. 

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We are aware of the following changes which will impact the MAAP program for the 2024/25 academic year:

·      Tutor numbers have been reduced to 2.5 FTE.

·      Incoming student numbers remain consistently high and the program is oversubscribed.

·      Changes that have been proposed will have a detrimental effect on college supervision of trainees’ clinical work, student welfare, safe and effective practice, and the safeguarding of vulnerable client caseloads.

·      Proposed changes to the programme make it substantially different to what was agreed and consented to at the time of admission.

·      Reduction in experienced staff and changes to modules and subsequent impact on learners have not been transparently communicated, therefore both learners and placements have not been able to provide informed consent.

Therefore, we are calling upon the Warden, Senior Management team and Members of the Council for:

- Transparency and consideration over what we will be going back to next term, and for incoming students to be guaranteed the same support and guidance.

- MAAP tutor numbers to remain the same as previous years to ensure safe and effective delivery of the programme, to meet the training requirements of HCPC, and to honour our consumer rights.

- All tutors on the program are qualified Art Psychotherapists with experience across a broad range of settings, in order to meet HCPC guidelines. We demand that any future recruitment is done on a permanent basis. With the loss of our diverse team of staff, recruitment must ensure that we have a faculty, which represents the student body and our clinical caseload on placements. We have greatly benefited from tutors who have experienced international study, and are diverse in regards to their ethnicity, race, culture, sexuality, disability, gender and religion.

- That our faculty is given time and resources to sustain and invest in their academic research and practice, furthering the field of Art Psychotherapy. 

- Assurance that assessment and marking is only completed by qualified and registered Art Psychotherapists.

- That any proposed changes to the program the next academic year be transparently communicated with students and placements, so that informed consent can be obtained.  

- Where changes to staffing are occurring, that detail is provided of how each of our learning outcomes in the programme specification will still be met, how our clients will be adequately safeguarded, and how student welfare in this unique training will be supported.

Please sign this petition to support the students of the MA Art Psychotherapy in this fight. 

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