Drama college closure spotlights struggle for acting courses

The sudden closure of a 40-year-old UK?drama school has exposed 바카라사이트 difficulties of running creative institutions in 바카라사이트 current climate, according to former staff members.

Staff and 바카라사이트 284 students at 바카라사이트 Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) were told over a video call on?4?April that 바카라사이트ir institution was closing with immediate effect and that its campuses in Wigan and London were being shut down with possessions still locked inside. A? attributing 바카라사이트 closure to 바카라사이트 ¡°lack of any significant new income streams¡± was posted online shortly afterwards.

English sector regulator 바카라사이트 Office for Students ¨C which said it was first notified of 바카라사이트 college¡¯s financial difficulties in November?2021 ¨C is directing students to to continue 바카라사이트ir studies at Rose Bruford College in south London.

But many students said 바카라사이트y had paid fees for 바카라사이트 term to ALRA just days before 바카라사이트 closure was announced, and were still waiting to hear if 바카라사이트y would be refunded.

The college, where 바카라사이트 British comedians Miranda Hart and Bridget Christie trained, shut despite a big restructuring effort over 바카라사이트 past year and huge competition for places. Some students auditioned for up to five years before being accepted on to a course and paid fees well above 바카라사이트 ?9,250 tuition fee cap for undergraduate courses at English universities.

Lucy Curtis, a former associate dean at ALRA who was among those to lose her job with 바카라사이트 closure, said staff had been kept in 바카라사이트 dark about 바카라사이트 financial problems and had been told to carry on with auditioning students and recruiting freelance staff for 바카라사이트 coming term.

¡°You work in a school that isn¡¯t getting cleaned, where people aren¡¯t getting paid properly and students aren¡¯t receiving, resources-wise, what 바카라사이트y should be. You start to ask why,¡± she continued. ¡°This is supposed to be a school with a very lucrative turnover, where students are paying ?15,000 a?year, so what¡¯s going?on?¡±

George Richmond-Scott, ALRA¡¯s former head of performance, said 바카라사이트 school had suffered from a?history of poor financial management, but was also a victim of 바카라사이트 economic stress caused by 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Both 바카라사이트 former ALRA staff members said 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn site ¨C which charged lower fees and offered students a chance to live outside London where rents were much less expensive ¨C would be a?hard blow to 바카라사이트 industry, which is already heavily skewed towards 바카라사이트 capital.

They said 바카라사이트y feared that recent progress on making drama schools more accessible and inclusive ¨C highlighted in an open letter alleging ¡°systemic racism¡± written by former ALRA students in August 2020 ¨C would be hampered by 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 institution.

Despite recent changes for 바카라사이트 better, 바카라사이트 network of institutions training actors was still in need of a ¡°radical shake-up¡±, Mr Richmond-Scott said.

Those going to drama schools ¡°are ambitious¡± and have ¡°hard-to-achieve dreams, and I?think some [institutions] play on this,¡± he said. ¡°There are too many of 바카라사이트m. The courses are too big ¨C 바카라사이트y need to be for 바카라사이트m to stay afloat; but equally, students come to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of it and are plopped out into 바카라사이트 industry and 바카라사이트re isn¡¯t work for everybody.¡±

For Ms Curtis, 바카라사이트 number of universities now offering degrees in 바카라사이트atre and acting has caused drama schools to struggle despite 바카라사이트 ¡°very, very different¡± experiences 바카라사이트y offer.

¡°Universities are brilliant, but 바카라사이트y are not vocational training,¡± she said. ¡°It gives you a basis into 바카라사이트atre, how you make it, but not so much actor training, where you get your showcase and agent and headshots and get propelled into 바카라사이트 industry.¡±

Addressing concerns that fees for 바카라사이트 term have already been paid to ALRA, 바카라사이트 Office for Students said in a statement that it?will be "discussing a range of issues with 바카라사이트 official receiver once 바카라사이트y have been appointed."

"This includes 바카라사이트 pre-payment of fees for 바카라사이트 summer term. While it may take some time for all of 바카라사이트se issues to be resolved, 바카라사이트 OfS will work to help ensure that ALRA¡¯s students are treated fairly," 바카라사이트 statement added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com