Evening art classes (later known as the School of Art) were established in Loughborough in 1891. Over time the emphasis of the School was broadened to embrace a more craft based element and in 1909 it was integrated into the newly created Loughborough Technical Institute. It existed as a department of Loughborough College under various names (Art Department, Day School of Art, School of Industrial and Fine Art, Department of Industrial and Fine Art, School of Art, School of Arts & Crafts), until 1952 (in 1925 a Junior College of Art was also opened offering three year full time courses to children over the age of twelve). In 1951 the School became Loughborough College of Art and the following year it was one of the four constituent parts of Loughborough College that were split into separate institutions. It continued to be maintained by Leicestershire County Council. The College of Art & Design was threatened with closure in 1986 but survived and in 1989 became an independent Higher Education Institution, with administrative assistance from Loughborough University of Technology. In 1994 the University became responsible for validating College programmes and in 1998 the two institutions were merged, with the College becoming Loughborough University School of Art & Design. Three-quarters of the old Loughborough College had now been reunited.
From the guide to the Loughborough College of Art & Design Records, 1952-98, (Loughborough University Archives)
