City and Guilds Art School

What City and Guilds Art School does

City & Guilds of London Art School is a not-for-profit specialist higher education institution and registered charity (no. 1144708) founded in 1879 in Kennington, London, providing studio-based education in Fine Art, Conservation, and Carving — the only UK provider offering full-time BA (Hons) degrees in Architectural Stone Carving and Woodcarving & Gilding at this level. Its curriculum spans a Level 4 Foundation Diploma (validated by the University of the Arts London Awarding Body), BA (Hons) degrees, MA programmes, Graduate Diplomas, short courses, and a youth-access pathway through the National Saturday Club and related programmes, with a total student community of approximately 290. Teaching is delivered by active practising professionals in purpose-built studios — including a Print & Engraving Room re-established by Norman Ackroyd in 1998 and specialist woodwork, glass-working, and bronze-casting facilities — and is supported by partnerships with major London heritage and cultural institutions (V&A, British Museum, Natural History Museum, Royal Collection Trust, Westminster Abbey, Palace of Westminster).

Revenue derives principally from tuition fees charged to UK and international students across Foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate, and short-course programmes, supplemented by philanthropy in the form of bursaries, scholarships, and project funding from individuals, livery companies, and foundations such as Freelands and QEST. Short-course pricing is selective-published (e.g., a £560 5-day Marbling course in July 2024), while main-programme tuition is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct-to-consumer: prospective students apply through the school's own admissions process with portfolio submission, interviews, and offers, supplemented by Open Days, Student Virtual Chats, public Degree Shows, and an active social presence on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn. International recruitment includes CAS visa support and a £350 visa-processing fee.

Current strategic posture emphasises programmatic expansion: a new Graduate School was launched in March 2025 consolidating MA Carving, MA Conservation, and MA Fine Art, with MA Conservation: Collection Care & Management and the UK's only higher-education-level Graduate Diploma Arts: Mosaics scheduled for 2026/27. Governance was reinforced by appointing a new Vice Principal, a new Head of BA Fine Art from Glasgow School of Art, and several new trustees during 2024–2025, alongside broader international recruitment activity.

Name

City and Guilds Art School

Legal name

City & Guilds of London Art School

Website

https://cityandguildsartschool.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1879

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

City & Guilds of London Art School is a not-for-profit London higher education institution and charity offering specialist Foundation, BA, MA, and Graduate Diploma programmes in Fine Art, Conservation, and Carving — the UK's only provider of full-time degrees in architectural stone and woodcarving/gilding — for roughly 290 students annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Fee income from Foundation, BA (Hons), MA, Graduate Diploma and Short Courses programmes for UK and international students
2. Philanthropy and Donations: Bursaries, scholarships, funded projects and collaborations supported by broad range of individuals and institutions
3. Charitable Status: Registered charity (no. 1144708) providing not-for-profit education model

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

City & Guilds of London Art School is a not-for-profit higher education institution offering specialist studio-based programmes in Fine Art, Conservation, Carving (Architectural Stone and Woodcarving & Gilding), and Mosaics. It delivers Foundation Diploma, BA (Hons), MA, and Graduate Diploma qualifications, alongside short courses and youth access programmes, taught from a single London campus by active practising professionals.

Product overview

City & Guilds of London Art School is a not-for-profit Higher Education institution offering a portfolio of specialist art, craft, and conservation courses. The institution operates a single-location campus model with programs at Foundation (Level 4 Diploma), Undergraduate (BA Hons degrees), and Postgraduate (MA degrees and Graduate Diplomas) levels. Core offerings include Fine Art, Conservation (with specializations in Stone/Wood/Decorative Surfaces and Books & Paper), and Carving (Architectural Stone and Woodcarving & Gilding). New additions include an MA Conservation: Collection Care & Management and Graduate Diploma Arts: Mosaics launching 2026/27. The school also offers short courses through Summer School and Evening Programs, and runs a Youth Access program with the National Saturday Club. All courses emphasize studio-based practice with high contact teaching time from active professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foundation Diploma in Art & Design

Quantifiable outcome

• Majority of Foundation Diploma students progress to first choice course
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Victoria and Albert MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration in conservation education and practice, providing work placement and project opportunities for students
• Museum of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in collection management and conservation education
• Westminster AbbeycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric carving and conservation collaborations for heritage preservation
• The Palace of WestminstercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeritage conservation projects and industry connections for carving students
• British MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation practice collaborations and professional networks
• Natural History MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollection care and conservation education partnerships
• Royal Collections TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural heritage conservation and professional development opportunities
• Watt's GalleryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibition and artistic collaboration
• Sir John Soane's MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeritage conservation and educational partnerships
• Commonwealth Heritage ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly offering 'Introduction to Global Conservation' Commonwealth Summer School programme
• University of the Arts London (UAL) Awarding BodycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerValidates Foundation Diploma in Art & Design at Level 4, approved centre for UAL Awarding Body
• London School of MosaiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration in developing Graduate Diploma Arts: Mosaics, bringing mosaic expertise to the art school
• Worshipful Company of Joiners and CeilerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLivery company providing prizes, scholarships and industry connections for carving students
• Worshipful Company of MasonscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLivery company supporting stone carving students with prizes and professional networks
• Worshipful Company of Painter-StainerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Decorative Surfaces Fellowship for MA Fine Art students including studio and specialist training
• Artists' Collecting SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides ACS City & Guilds of London Art School Studio Prize for graduating MA Fine Art students
• Fishmongers' CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLivery company providing travel scholarships and menu cover design prizes
• Skinners' CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLivery company providing travel prizes and engraving prizes for students
• Grocers' CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLivery company connection through trustee Edward Campbell-Johnston as Fourth Warden
• Sarabande FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished by Lee Alexander McQueen, provides artist residencies for graduates including Jo Grogan

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/city-guilds-of-london-art-school-104480856253083
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/city-&-guilds-of-london-art-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/cglartschool
• TikToktiktok.com/@cglartschool
• Xx.com/cgartschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City and Guilds Art School