The Department for Education (DfE) is establishing the National Centre for Arts Education (NCAE) to increase young people's access to high-quality arts education in school and widen opportunities regardless of background.
As a key DfE delivery partner, Etio is set to begin delivery as soon as November 2026, alongside research partner Birmingham City University (BCU), and quality assurance partner the Chartered College of Teaching (CCT). NCAE will also be supported by Arts Council England, who have been asked by the DfE to support the Centre to develop relationships across the cultural education sector. NCAE will be led by educational leader, researcher and music educator, Dr Steven Berryman, alongside a team of expert senior advisers, supporting more than 10,000 schools in underserved areas.
"I am honoured to lead the National Centre for Arts Education which will champion arts education and address inequality of opportunity, ensuring all young people are encouraged and empowered to hone their creative talents, regardless of their background. With falling numbers of young people engaging with creative subjects, it is imperative that we place renewed emphasis on the importance of arts and music educational pathways. I am excited to work in partnership with schools and the cultural sector to ensure an excellent arts education is possible for every school."
- Dr Steven Berryman, NCAE Executive Director, Etio
The establishment of NCAE comes at an important time for the arts and is critical to the government’s ambition to revitalise arts in school. NCAE will champion high-quality education in art and design, dance, drama and music, working with and building on the expertise and infrastructure that already exists across all four subjects. It will comprise four priority programme pillars, which include: supporting excellent teaching through targeted professional development delivery; promoting arts education; overseeing the Music Hubs network; and providing national strategic leadership and philanthropic coordination. By connecting schools in underserved communities with cultural organisations and Music Hubs, it will make high-quality arts education easier to access, deliver and sustain.
NCAE will become a trusted source of information for pupils, families and teachers, championing the value of arts education by pairing classroom learning and enrichment opportunities with qualifications, further study and career pathways, including opportunities in the creative industries.
Etio brings extensive experience of system leadership models, including delivering the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) on behalf of the DfE. The NCETM coordinates the Maths Hubs Programme across England, supporting thousands of schools. NCAE will draw on similar principles to create a connected arts education ecosystem which empowers local system leadership, strengthens capacity, and improves opportunities for young people.
As the Centre develops, NCAE wants to hear from schools, teachers and arts organisations. A dedicated website will launch shortly, providing information on the programme and its further initiatives starting over the next few months. NCAE will also create an extensive engagement programme, through which education and cultural partners can share their perspectives on what high-quality arts education looks like in schools.
"Etio is delighted to be awarded the National Centre for Arts Education (NCAE) by the Department for Education. As someone whose educational background is centred around the arts, I deeply appreciate how critical it is to ensure that both opportunity and access go hand in hand for pupils, families, teachers and leaders, especially those in underserved communities. We look forward to working with our brilliant team of arts and music experts to mobilise this important work."
- Dr Gordon Carver, UK Managing Director, Etio
“I'm delighted that the Chartered College of Teaching is a partner in this vital new Centre, ensuring that teachers are supported with high-quality professional development that enables expansive and creative pedagogy and offers pupils different ways of learning and seeing the world, so that all can thrive at school.”
- Dame Alison Peacock, CEO, Chartered College of Teaching
“All of us at BCU believe strongly that young people should have access to outstanding arts opportunities whatever their background or postcode. We are looking forward to bringing the expertise of the Birmingham Music Education Research Group to critical conversations and strategy development in partnership with Etio and sector stakeholders. The new National Centre represents significant investment in creative pathways for all, and we hope it will be welcomed across the arts world as a timely and ambitious intervention.”
- Stephen Maddock OBE, Principal of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (part of Birmingham City University)
"We believe every child and young person has the right to a high-quality arts education. Since Music Hubs began in 2012, we've been proud to support them, building expertise and relationships and delivering real and lasting impact for children and young people across the country. We're looking forward to bringing that expertise to our partnership with Etio as they develop the National Centre. That work is part of our wider commitment to championing creativity and culture for every young person in England, and we'll continue to support and shape this vital agenda."
- Darren Henley, CEO of Arts Council England
“The Cultural Learning Alliance warmly welcomes the government's commitment to arts education with the launch of the new National Centre for Arts Education. Based on our consultation with the cultural and education sectors, we believe the new National Centre can play an important role in addressing the inequity of access to the arts. We look forward to continuing to work with colleagues across the cultural and education sector – and now with the National Centre – to realise the sector’s shared vision: that every school is an arts-rich school and every child in every postcode benefits from a high-quality arts education.”
- Sally Bacon OBE, Executive Co-Chair of the Cultural Learning Alliance
Follow the National Centre for Arts Education on Linkedin:
General enquiries: For general enquiries, please email ncae@etioglobal.org
Media enquiries: For all media enquiries, please email keyta.hawkins@etioglobal.org