Between 1975 and 79 the Cockpit Art Department redefined itself as the Department of Cultural Studies and moved to the ILEA Drama and Tape Centre in Holborn. At Holborn they set up a photographic studio, teaching darkroom and relaunched the Gateforth Street Theatre Foyer Gallery as the Cockpit Gallery Holborn, with a regular exhibition programme for and about young people. The Department was significantly influenced by the research work and working papers of The Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at Birmingham University. They were developing curriculum ideas from the work of Raymond Williams, Richard Hoggart and Stuart Hall.
From 1979 until its closure in 1990, Cultural Studies team divided their time between devising and running practical schools projects and related teacher’s courses, producing laminated exhibitions and writing up and publishing their ideas. In 1977 they were trying to extend the definitions of the secondary school art subject to include greater reference to contemporary media culture. Their ideas at this time were influenced by theories of visual communication and culture.
Martin and Andrew describe the work of Cultural Studies in Ten.8’s Education Issue No. 21. pps 4-13. 1986.
Martin Lister wrote about the politics of photography education in a paper dated 15 April 1987 which was published in Ten.8 No. 25 pps 54-56.
Cockpit Gallery Exhibitions & Cultural Studies projects 1973-89 