Association of Colleges commends Bath College and Theatre Royal’s Theatre Academy with Beacon Standard

Bath College staff are delighted to have been informed by the Association of Colleges that their Performing and Production Arts Provision has met Beacon Standard for practical delivery of technical and professional learning. Bath College are therefore recognised as a Beacon Award commended college for this provision.

In August 2017, Bath College launched an exciting new partnership with Theatre Royal Bath and formed Bath Theatre Academy, offering full-time Level 3 UAL Performing and Production Arts course, a unique curriculum that combines a practical theatre programme with real-life industry experience.

Jon Domaille, Head of Creative Arts and Enterprise at Bath College commented, “to be recognised in this way is testament to the hard work and dedication of our learners as well as the exceptional and committed staff from both institutions.

“With theatre as my background and passion, I am blown away by the overall experience and opportunities our learners get, the industry contacts that they can build and the level of work that they are producing as a direct result of this partnership.

“I’m incredibly proud of the platform that this provision provides for theatre makers of the future.”

Throughout the Performing and Production Arts course, students get to work with industry professionals and put on performances at the egg theatre. The egg is a driving force of creativity, innovation and young people’s art at the heart of Theatre Royal Bath.

It presents around 50 different and bespoke young people’s productions every year, operates a rigorous Creative Learning and Theatre School Department, and has pioneered an ideas-led Artist Development programme, each between them amassing 50,000+ admissions per year, and a number of unique new productions for the children’s theatre touring network.

Through its activity it has developed strong international relationships, this year alone partnering with companies from France, Spain and Australia. Since creating this fruitful partnership with Bath College less than two years ago, the egg has plugged a gap in its provision by creating a bridge between children’s participation and talent development for the theatre industry.

Kate Cross, Director of the egg and Chair of TYA UK commented: “At a time when creative subjects in educational settings are being compromised from all sides, Bath College’s championing of young people’s talent development through the Level 3 UAL Performing and Production Arts course is laudable.

“We feel privileged to be playing a part in ensuring that young adults from a range of backgrounds are given a significant insight into the theatre industry and a guiding hand for their chosen route into it.

“We were lucky to have, in James Moore, Head of Creative Learning at the egg, an experienced Secondary School Drama teacher and someone who was able to swiftly navigate their way through the syllabus and adapt it for this industry-based qualification, that has, still in its infancy, gained this acknowledgement.”

Applications are now open for September 2019, for Bath Theatre Academy.