Arts, Activism and Social Justice
Learn from activists and change-makers working in the UK’s thriving arts and voluntary sectors.
Who it's for
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.
This programme is open to international students from any academic discipline who want to understand the context for and learn the tools to effect change.
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I can't emphasize enough how amazing my experience was. I felt so supported, validated and academically stimulated throughout the course of the program. I would take part in another University of Bristol program in a heartbeat.
What you'll learn
You'll learn how to create transformative change in the world around you in a range of skill-building, creative and academic sessions delivered by a network of community leaders, activists, academics and artists from Bristol's thriving grassroots sector and around the world.
The summer school focuses on six overlapping themes:
- Racism and social justice
- Colonialism and independence
- Global feminisms
- Migration and refugees
- Environmental sustainability
- Health and wellbeing
We want you to share your experiences and knowledge in interactive sessions that invite you to think about Bristol and the UK's past, current, and future engagement with arts, activism and social justice. You'll be comparing that engagement with that of your own home community and ultimately developing your own vision and plans for positive change.
Recent alumni have described the programme as "a life-changing experience" and "nothing less than transformative".
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.
You can read the course description, aims, intended learning outcomes, and teaching and assessment information in our Unit Catalogue.
Programme timetable
Find out more about your summer experience by viewing our Arts, Activism & Social Justice Programme Timetable 2024 (PDF, 200kB) and the Arts, Activism & Social Justice Programme Brochure 2024 (PDF, 2,268kB) Please note that this information is from 2024; the 2025 provision may vary.
If you need to view the academic brochure and programme outline in another format, email bristol-summer@bristol.ac.uk.
More information
Learn more about our School of Arts, where you will be based.
Key information
Programme dates: Sunday 15 June to Saturday 5 July 2025
Programme fee: £3,595 - see what's included in the fee
Qualify for a 10% discount: We offer a single 10% discount for either:
- early-bird applicants who apply by 1 March 2025;
- students from International Partner Universities and Study Abroad student mobility partners;
- students who apply for two consecutive programmes; or
- groups of 10 or more students from the same university.
Students who apply through an agent will not be eligible for a fee discount.
Credits: upon successful completion of the programme, students will receive 10 academic credits, suggested as equivalent to 5 ECTS or 3 US semester credits.
Early bird applications end: 1 March 2025
Closing date for all applications: Sunday, 4 May 2025. Places are limited and offers for programmes are made on a first-come, first-served basis.
Why choose a Bristol Summer?
Study at a top-10 UK university and explore one of the UK’s most exciting cities.
Entry requirements
Age: 18 or over
Study level and subject: international undergraduates currently studying any major
Current academic attainment: 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: you meet our requirements if:
- you are a native speaker; or
- your degree is taught in English; or
- you meet our Profile C language requirements. Visit the page and select the 'English Language Proficiency Tests' tab for more information.
For this programme, we also accept CET-4 scores of at least 550 and CET-6 scores of at least 520.
Fulbright Summer Institute
This programme is also available as a Fulbright Summer Institute for US undergraduate students.
Contact us
You can email or phone us if you have any questions about the course or your eligibility.
- Email: bristol-summer@bristol.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)117 455 3950