Dr Rachael Grew
Visual Culture Historian
Less than 1% of the paintings in the National Gallery are by women. Even fewer are by people of colour. These are distressing but not unusual statistics. By continuing to explore art history, broadening its scope and making it more inclusive and diverse, we can shape a more accurate account of our histories and cultures and the ways they interweave with each other.
Art can be a vehicle for protest, activism, satire, and reflection on ideas and events; it’s a method of communicating across borders to create a global community.
Post 16 Education: A Level English Literature, History, Theatre Studies & General Studies
Higher Education: MA (Joint Honours) English Literature and Art History (I went to uni in Scotland so the degree structure is different there - you do 4 years and come out with an MA.), MPhil (research masters) in Art History, PhD in Art History
Why did you choose to study Art History?
I didn’t know that art history existed as a subject until I got to university! At my university we had to study three subjects in the first couple of years, so I picked art history in addition to my degree course subjects because a girl in my halls was doing it and I thought it sounded interesting.
It wasn’t long before I was hooked, and I changed my degree programme to study it properly. I loved uncovering the stories about people, places, and cultures that are told through images.
“Art history provides us with a way of exploring the world and the lives of the people in it, past present, and even future, through visual means.”
In my final year I won a scholarship to work in a gallery for three months as a curator’s assistant, putting my knowledge and skills into practice while learning new ones – like how to care for art works and how to put an exhibition together.
My favourite part was researching the works in the collection; trying to decode mysterious images and uncover missing information to find out about who made them, how, and why.
Rachael’s Career
To become a university lecturer it's a typical to have a PhD, and it's also very common to go through a string of temporary / casual / part-time roles before getting a permanent job.
After I got my PhD I managed to get a 1-year lecturing job in Plymouth. I loved the job and was delighted when they asked me to stay for another year. However, when that year finished, I couldn't get another lecturing job even after applying for about 14 different positions, so I went back home and picked up casual teaching work at nearby universities. I spent the next 3-anda-half years working a series of casual and zero-hours contracts across four different institutions, earning about £10,000 a year. I stuck with it because I knew the field was tough and I loved the work, and I was lucky enough to have a partner who was earning enough to keep us going.
I kept applying for jobs and finally was offered a permanent lectureship at Loughborough and I haven't looked back!
Rachael's advice
Keep an open mind and be prepared for your plans to change. You don't have to go into a job directly tied to your degree subject; the skills and experiences you gain will be useful for numerous different jobs so pick something that you enjoy and that you will be motivated to do well in.
Loughborough University offer degrees in:
Fashion Design and Technology, Textile Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design and an Art and Design Foundation Course.
Throughout their degree, arts students are encouraged to exhibit their work; opportunities include pop-up exhibitions, trade shows and arts festivals. The annual Arts Degree Show attracts thousands of visitors every year and offers a wonderful opportunity to see what is on offer from a Creative Art Degree at Loughborough.
Please note: Degrees and their titles change over time. Some graduates may have studied degrees that have evolved and changed in response to changes in demand from employers.