Arts university student mentors and gallery peer leaders: partnerships for learning

Abstract

This case study describes a partnership between University College Falmouth (UCF) and Tate St. Ives (TSI). Framed within a national Enquire project (one strand of a DCMS funded commissioning programme) investigating the learning benefits of gallery education, the report tells the story of a successful collaboration which engaged undergraduate Art student mentors from UCF in a peer leadership project at TSI. The project was evaluated using an innovative action research model to explore peer learning through engagement. Outcomes suggest undergraduate student mentors enhanced their learning in a number of ways: experientially developing the ‘soft’ transferable skills related to employability in the arts; improving their knowledge of employment opportunities in gallery settings; gaining competence in action research.