Performing Arts Colleges in the UK
A child with talent in dance or musical theatre may want to consider applying to one of the UK’s many performing arts colleges. Choosing the right school can be tricky, however, as there are so many options.
RADA is renowned for producing aggressive triple threats who can act, dance and sing. Its acting classes are focused on speech and drama, with an emphasis on Shakespeare.
Rose Bruford
Rose Bruford is a world renowned drama college located in south east London in the beautiful surroundings of Lamorbey Park. The campus clusters around the Grade II listed Lamorbey House with modern facilities including two theatres, recording studios, workshop, classrooms and a library. Students are able to enjoy a wide variety of activities that include visits to London’s historic sites and West End theatre.
The college offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in performance, acting, design and management. It has an international reputation and welcomes applicants from all over the world. Students collaborate to produce more than 75 productions each year. Notable alumni include Mathew Baynton, Rosalie Craig and Gary Oldman.
The college has a student union that hosts events throughout the year. It also runs social clubs and societies and is active in the community through outreach projects. Its students have an interest in addressing issues that affect society, such as mental health and gender equality.
Bristol Old Vic
Bristol Old Vic is a theatre company and associated theatre school that was established in 1946. It is an offshoot of London’s Old Vic and was one of the first to experiment with the idea of regional subsidy. It has been running ever since.
Its current activities include a wide range of productions and a series of workshops that reach out to the local community. The theatre also runs a training scheme called Made in Bristol, which aims to nurture the next generation of young theatre-makers and provides participants with opportunities to become workshop leaders, facilitators and performers.
The company has a strong reputation for presenting high quality work and is widely seen as one of the best in the UK. Its alumni include Daniel Day-Lewis and Jeremy Irons. The theatre also has an active exhibition strand, Ferment, which showcases work by emerging artists. The venue is well-located in the heart of the city, on King Street.
RWCMD
Located in the heart of Cardiff, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama offers undergraduate students an unparalleled range of subjects. Its staff has extensive professional experience, and its facilities are state-of-the-art. The College also has an impressive reputation in the world of performing arts, and attracts talented students from all over the world.
During the first few weeks of study, new students take part in an extensive induction series that teaches them about the College and its culture. This enables them to find their feet and settle in quickly. The College also provides a variety of activities to help students get to know their new colleagues and teachers.
Hundreds of concerts are held every year, featuring music, opera, dance and theatre performances by students and international guest artists. In addition to the main Richard Burton Theatre and Dora Stoutzker Concert Hall, the RWCMD also has a flexible black box theatre and public gallery spaces.
Oxford University
Oxford University is a world-renowned centre of academic excellence, with its prestigious library and museum collections, stunning architecture, and spectacular gardens. Its ground-breaking research has contributed to its top ranking in the Times Higher Education world university rankings.
The famous ‘ivory towers’ of Oxford are home to many different colleges, each with their own distinctive character and history. Many of the older buildings are built around a central quadrangle (known as a ‘division’) and most have their own chapel.
Students here are involved in a wide variety of activities, from the famous debating society that was once known as the last bastion of free speech to one of Europe’s most famous orchestras, the Oxford University Orchestra. Cowley Road is the heart of student life, with a huge array of restaurants, shops and bars to explore. The University’s extensive library system contains over a million books and the Pitt Rivers Museum displays a fascinating collection of antiquities including an impressive Egyptian mummy.