The EUROPEAN CONSORTIUM for ARTS THERAPIES EDUCATION a

*About ECArTE*

ECArTE - European Network - Basic criteria for training as an Art Therapist

The benefits of ECArTE Membership - ECArTE Membership - Membership fees - Notes regarding an application - Members of the Executive Board 2005 - Conferences

The European Consortium for Arts Therapies Education was founded in 1991.

ECArTE is a consortium of Universities. Its primary purpose is to represent and encourage the development of the Arts Therapies at a European level, in particular the courses offering nationally validated and professionally recognised training for arts therapists. (The Arts Therapies include art therapy, dance therapy, drama therapy and music therapy)

ECArTE was founded in 1991 by the Universities of Hertfordshire, Münster, Nijmegen and Paris Currently it comprises 32 member institutions from 14 European countries.

The Consortium's work includes:

	Creating stronger European links in the Arts Therapies through the international exchange of staff and students
	Promoting research into methods of Arts Therapies practice within Europe
	Working towards opportunities for international study in Arts Therapies training programmes
	Promoting recognition of qualifications in the Arts Therapies at a European level
	Supporting the development of appropriate, academically recognized, nationally validated Higher Education courses for the Arts Therapies.
	Offering opportunities for professional communication at its international conferences.

European Network

ECArTE is working towards establishing mutual recognition and compatibility in educational and vocational training for Arts Therapists within the European Community. The Consortium encourages the use of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) as a vehicle for developing and maintaining shared standards.
ECArTE was established with the support of ERASMUS.

Basic criteria for training as an Arts Therapist

The General Assembly of ECArTE has drawn up the following broad and minimum criteria for initial training as an Arts Therapist:
The university training should be postgraduate or consist of a minimum of four years’ study (1250 or more study hours per year). At least one year should focus exclusively on specialisation in the Arts Therapies, i.e. art therapy, dance-movement therapy, dramatherapy or music therapy.
Training should include:

	the development of artistic skills
	the study of Arts Therapies theories
	the study of related scientific studies
	supervised professional practice
	therapeutic experiential work: Training should by provided trough specialised arts therapy courses and lead to a specific award either in Art Therapy, Dance-movement Therapy, Dramatherapy or Music Therapy.

The benefits of ECArTE Membership

ECArTE is a means of promoting and developing, at an international level, the standard and quality of Arts Therapy education offered by member institutions. It also provides member institutions with a range of benefits:

	Enhanced opportunities for grants from the EC bureaux (such as Erasmus/Socrates) for curriculum development, staff and student exchange.
	Sharing experience of course and specialist curriculum knowledge within member institutions
	The opportunity to become part of a network for developing Arts Therapies education in Europe.
	Attendance at regular General Assembly meetings within Europe.
	Reduced rates when attending ECArTE events.
	An established network for research purposes.
	Use of the ECArTE logo and recognition in all publicity and course marketing.

ECArTE Membership

The Consortium was established in 1991 with assistance from ERASMUS. Accordingly, membership is linked to recognition by the European Union of Institutions of Higher Education.
Currently the Consortium has three categories of membership.

	Full Member Full Membership is offered to Institutions of Higher Education / Universities that provide nationally-validated courses in the Arts Therapies. Such Institutions must be formally recognised as such by appropriate European Union (EU) authorities, such as ERASMUS. Only Full Members have voting rights and the right to hold office on the Executive. Each Full Member Institution has one vote only.
	Associate Member Institutions of Higher Education / Universities in the process of developing courses in the Arts Therapies as described above may join the Consortium as Associate Members and thereby benefit from the experience and expertise offered by the Consortium. Normally, Associate Membership will be granted for a maximum of four years following which it is anticipated that they will apply for Full Membership.
	Partner Member Partner Membership may be given to Institutions of Higher Education / Universities that do not qualify for either full or Associate Membership but that hold a legitimate partnership involving the Arts Therapies with a full member/s of the Consortium. By 'Legitimate Partnership' we mean a formally agreed contractual arrangement - e.g. a franchise arrangement, within the area of Arts Therapies education / training.
	Associate and Partner Members will be invited to attend all General Assembly meetings of the Consortium including all activities that take place during the General Assembly. They do not, however, have the right of representation on the General Assembly (i.e. they do not have voting rights) and cannot hold office on the Executive.

Membership Fees

The Annual Membership Fee will be reviewed each year at the General Assembly Meeting and will be determined by the Executive. The same membership fee will be applicable to all three categories of membership. The Annual Membership Fee covers a full calendar year (January to December) and must be paid by 1st June of any one year. The Membership Fee for the current year (2010) is 700 Euro.

Once an institution’s membership has been ratified by the Consortium, costs for one person incurred during General Assembly meetings (including hotel accommodation and meals) will be included in the Annual Membership Fee. Travel costs will be reimbursed by the Consortium for Member Representatives attending a General Assembly.

Notes regarding an application

All applications should be made on an ECArTE Application Form for Membership. These are available from Members of the Executive Board.

All applicants are asked to submit documentation regarding validation of courses and educational and professional recognition of awards with their application.

All applicatants are asked to seek and include, wherever possible, endorsement of their application from an existing ECArTE Member Institution.

Applicants for Partner Membership must be endorsed by the partner/s who are existing Full Members of the Consortium.

Decisions regarding membership applications will normally be taken during a General Assembly of the Consortium and the applicant will be invited to send a representative to present their application at that meeting.

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP FORM

Application forms and all enquiries should be sent to:

Richard Hougham, Co-ordinator ECArTE,
Central School of Speech & Drama,
Embassy Theatre, 64 Eton Avenue,
Swiss Cottage, London, NW3 3HY, UK

Email: r.hougham@cssd.ac.uk
Telephone: 0044 (0)20 7559 3915

Members of the Executive Board 2005

Hon. President Line Kossolapow, University of Munster, Germany

Chair Sarah Scoble, University of Plymouth, Exeter, United Kingdom

Vice-Chair Eha Ruutel, Tallinn University, Estonia

Co-ordinator Richard Hougham, Central School of Speech & Drama, University of London, UK

Treasurer Egbert Hulshof, HAN University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

European Arts Therapies Conferences - International participation, open to all

1sh	1990	University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom - “Arts Therapies Education – Our European Future”

2nd	1992	University of Zuyd, Sittard, Netherland - “Our professional identity”

3rd	1994	University of Ferrara, Italy - “Arts Therapies in Europe”

4th	1997	University of London, United Kingdom - “Communication in the Arts Therapies”

5th	1999	University of Munster, Germany - “Arts Therapies 2000 . Education – Research – Policy – Practice”

6th	2001	University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg - “Exposing difference in Europe”

7th	2003	University Complutense of Madrid, Spain - “Arts Therapy : Recognized discipline or soul-graffiti ? Approaches, applications, evaluations”

8th	2005	University of Crete, Rethymno, Greece - “Arts Therapies : Grounding the Vision to advance Theory and Practice” 14th-17th September, Rethymno, Crete

9th	2007	Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia - "Arts in Arts Therapies: new challenges, new horizons" 19^th– 22^nd September 2007

10th	2009	The Central School of Speech & Drama, London, U.K. "The Space Between, the potential for change" 16^th - 19^th September 2009

11th	2011	Real Collegio di Lucca , Italy. “ARTS THERAPIES AND THE INTELLIGENCE OF FEELING” 21 – 24 September 2011