The City & Guilds of London Art School dates to 1854 when it started as a social enterprise. Today, it offers an important, specialist alternative to other models of applied arts higher education in the UK in the fields of contemporary fine art, conservation of cultural objects, mosaic and historical carving, including architectural stone and ornamental woodcarving, at degree and postgraduate level. The school also offers a range of short courses and favours a student-centred approach in intensive courses with high staff-to-student ratios and inspiring practising professionals as tutors.

For Homo Faber 2026, The City & Guilds of London Art School was one of 20 creative units involved in the project called Twenty Silent Songs, imagined by Es Devlin. Playing to its background in collaborative learning, the school turned this making opportunity into a key component of this year's BA course. Presented at Homo Faber 2026, Silent Song 1 is a round stone collectively carved into a modern interpretation of an ammonite or fossil shell.