Proposed research question: From Artistry Collective to curriculum design
How can collaborative reflection on The Artistry Collective (2026) inform the design of a more inclusive and authentic industry engagement curriculum for Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics students?
Topic and rationale
As Course Leader for BA (Hons) Hair, Makeup and Prosthetic s for Performance at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, I am interested in how industry engagement can be meaningfully embedded within the Year 2 Industry Engagement unit to support students’ professional development, confidence, sense of belonging and access to industry networks.
My interest is informed by my professional role and personal positionality. As a former student from a working-class, low socioeconomic background and mixed ethnic minority heritage, I recognise how access to professional networks, resources and industry experience can be unequal. While talent exists across all backgrounds, students’ opportunities are often shaped by financial circumstances, confidence, existing connections and previous exposure to professional environments such as theatre, film and opera. This has shaped my commitment to exploring how curriculum design can create more equitable pathways into the creative industries, rather than reproduce existing inequalities.
Existing research reinforces these concerns. Carey et al. (2020), in their study Getting in and getting on: Class, participation and job quality in the UK’s Creative Industries, found that individuals from privileged backgrounds were more than twice as likely to secure employment in creative occupations. Similarly, Brook et al. (2023) identified persistent class inequalities in access to creative professions. This challenges the assumption that talent and hard work alone determine success within the creative industries, highlighting how background, financial circumstances and professional networks influence access to opportunities. This has led me to consider how curriculum design might create more equitable access to industry experiences and connections for all students.
My previous intervention, The Artistry Collective (2026), explored how an industry engagement event could create opportunities for knowledge exchange, professional networking, practical learning and representation. Student feedback highlighted the value of working alongside professional artists, accessing professional resources and encountering role models whose experiences reflected their identities and backgrounds. This prompted me to consider how these experiences might be developed beyond a standalone event and embedded more sustainably within the curriculum.
Research into student belonging also informs this interest. Thomas (2012), drawing on research across 22 higher education institutions, identified meaningful interactions, supportive relationships and opportunities to develop confidence and identity as important contributors to student belonging. Masika and Jones (2016) similarly explored how shared learning experiences can support confidence and belonging. These findings have encouraged me to consider industry engagement not only as preparation for employment, but also as an opportunity to develop professional identity, confidence and belonging.
As the Year 2 Industry Engagement unit will not run during this Action Research Project, my research will focus on collaborative curriculum development rather than evaluating an implemented unit. Through structured discussions and reflective inquiry with students, teaching colleagues, visiting practitioners and members of The Artistry Collective team, I will explore different perspectives on authentic and inclusive industry engagement.
This collaborative approach will enable me to reflect critically on my practice and consider how curriculum design might challenge existing barriers rather than reproduce them. Ultimately, I hope to inform a more accessible, representative and sustained approach to industry engagement, supporting greater equity and participation within Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics education.
Reference list
Brook, O., Miles, A., O’Brien, D. and Taylor, M. (2023) ‘Social mobility and “openness” in creative occupations since the 1970s’, Sociology, 57(4), pp. 789–810. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/00380385221129953 .
Carey, H., Florisson, R., O’Brien, D. and Lee, N. (2020) Getting in and getting on: Class, participation and job quality in the UK’s creative industries. Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre. Available at: https://pec.ac.uk/research-reports/getting-in-and-getting-on-class-participation-and-job-quality-in-the-uks-creative-industries/ .
Masika, R. and Jones, J. (2016) ‘Building student belonging and engagement: insights into higher education students’ experiences of participating and learning together’, Teaching in Higher Education, 21(2), pp. 138–150. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2015.1122585 .
Thomas, L. (2012) ‘What works? Facilitating an effective transition into higher education’, Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 14(Special Issue), pp. 4–24. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5456/WPLL.14.S.4 .