Arts, activism and social justice summer school
Learn from activists and change-makers working in the UK’s thriving arts and voluntary sectors at this three week summer school.
This programme is now closed for 2022 applications.
| Programme dates | Sunday 19 June to Saturday 9 July 2022 |
| Programme fee |
£2,795 |
| Credits | Upon successful completion of the programme students will receive 10 academic credits, suggested as equivalent to 5 ECTS or 3 US semester credits. |
Who it's for
This programme is open to students from any academic discipline who want to understand the context for and learn the tools to effect change. This is a summer school with a difference: you will join local activists, community members, University of Bristol students, and Fulbright Commission scholars as you contribute directly to a city-wide movement of change.
We want you to share your experiences and knowledge in interactive and reflective sessions that invite you to think about Bristol and the UK's past, current, and future engagement with arts, activism and social justice, ultimately comparing and contrasting that engagement with that of your own home community.
What you will learn
The summer school focuses on six overlapping themes that are considered across geographic areas, including Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas:
- Racism and social justice
- Colonialism and independence
- Global feminisms
- Migration and refugees
- Environmental sustainability
- Health and wellbeing.
Academic programme
You might be asked to participate in reflective work, group projects, question and answer sessions, lectures, city-led workshops, History Commission activities, discussion groups with a focus on Black Lives Matter, and creative workshops.
Over the course of the summer school you will:
- discover how people from diverse social contexts have used a combination of philosophy and the arts as vehicles for social change;
- investigate the role of literature, music, visual arts, poetry and storytelling, dance, philosophy and critical social theories in social justice movements;
- learn about the key role of Bristol in the development of transatlantic slavery, the legacies of racism, slavery and colonialism, and the impact of these legacies on the lives of people today;
- examine what responsibilities we might have today because of historical legacies of racial injustice;
- explore how race and ethnicity intersect with gender in shaping social experience;
- develop transferable skills for use in future leadership and social entrepreneurship;
- get involved in a variety of community and civic activities;
- develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills.
More information
You can read the course description on our faculty web pages.
Learn more about our School of Arts, where you will be based.
Entry requirements
You must meet all of these requirements to be eligible for this summer school:
| Final application deadline | Applications are now closed. Please contact global-summer@bristol.ac.uk for queries on last-minute applications. |
| Study level | Currently studying at undergraduate level |
| Academic requirements | GPA equivalent to 60–63% on the UK scale, C on the ECTS scale, or 3.0 on a 4.0 GPA scale |
| English language requirements |
If English is not your first language, you need to meet our English language Profile C. You can view the tests and levels we accept by visting our Profile C language requirements page and selecting the 'English Language Proficiency Tests' tab. If you took the CET-4 or CET-6 tests, email global-summer@bristol.ac.uk to find out what scores we will accept. |
| Age | 18 or over |
Contact us
You can email or phone us if you have any questions about the course or your eligibility.
- Email: global-summer@bristol.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)117 455 2363
Life in Bristol
We provide accommodation, meals, transfers and a programme of exciting social activities. Find out more about what your time in Bristol will be like.
Fulbright Summer Institute
This programme is also available as a Fulbright Summer Institute for US undergraduate students.
This program was such an engrossing, gratifying experience… I would recommend it to anyone of any major or academic focus.