Cornelia Parker, NSEAD patron, is awarded a CBE in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee birthday honours

Sharing her wonderful news on Instagram, last Friday 3 June, Cornelia posted: 'Not one to hide her light under a bushel. Cornelia Parker CBE..........'

And, we are absolutely delighted that she doesn't, more so we want this fantastic achievement to be celebrated far and wide. 

Cornelia, a patron of NSEAD for five years now, is a huge supporter of art education for all. For NSEAD alone, she has been interviewed, spoken at our conference and shared in our art education advocacy work. And her immense portfolio of work is now celebrated a one-person exhibition in Tate Britain, titled 'Cornelia Parker'. Her work takes many forms – from film, sculpture to drawings with chalk from the cliffs of Dover, to textiles. Each is given an often playful title – each accompanied by quotes from Cornelia herself. Her work is a mix of provocations and visual poetry, storytelling and social justice. Every room, spanning her thirty year career, is both powerful and beautiful. We are delighted that in this year's honours, she becomes Cornelia Parker CBE.

We are also delighted that illustrator and Big Draw patron, Quentin Blake, has been aware a CBE, and Isaac Julien, artist and filmmaker has been awarded a knighthood. Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England and chief executive of Arts Council Wales, both receive an OBE. Artists Chila Burman, who spoke at our iJADE Conference in 2020, receives an MBE for her amazing and colourful work in 2020, installed on Tate Britain, during the pandemic. Our congratulations go to all the arts professionals whose work has been recognised, and to all the NSEAD art educator heroes who change lives every day.