Author: Michael Richardson

Let's Tell a Story with Raisah Ahmed - bookings open now!

Posted on by Michael Richardson

Are you a young person of colour who lives in Scotland? Aged 13 – 18?

Interested in writing, telling stories, or making theatre or film of your own?

Writer/director Raisah Ahmed will lead this new digital workshop to explore how to come up with new ideas and tell stories, whatever your medium – and you’ll get to put your new skills into practice and make a piece of work of your own.

Through a series of Zoom workshops and conversations, you’ll get to work with other like-minded young people and learn all about storytelling from an experienced artist while work on your own project.

Whether you’ve already got loads of experience or you want to try something for the first time, this project is a great way to get your creativity flowing and make something to share.

When?

Workshops will take place every Wednesday evening, 5 – 7pm, from 20 October – 8 December *Rescheduled Dates* over Zoom. These Zooms will be closed sessions specifically for people of colour.

Please let us know if you have any access requirements.

*Bookings are now closed*

Raisah Ahmed

Raisah is a Scottish Asian Muslim Writer/Director, based in Glasgow, working across television and film. She is currently developing a WWI feature Half-Moon Camp with Film4 and Producer Zorana Piggott. Writing credits include several CBeebies shows and BBC The Social phone-drama Control. Alumni of EIFF Talent Lab 2014, Raisah’s first writer/director commissioned short Meet Me By The Water premiered at EIFF 2016, before screening on BBC Scotland’s Next Big Thing. She has directed on BBC3’s The Break III and CBBC’s Sparks.

Focus on Applications - BOOKINGS NOW OPEN

Posted on by Michael Richardson

WACI are thrilled to announce that our first workshops for 2021/22 are now open for bookings.

If you’re thinking about applying to study one of the following types of courses:

at college, university or conservative, these workshops are for you!

We’ll help you prepare everything you’ll need in order to make your application, and make a start on your personal statement.

We’ll also go through the process of applying for a course via UCAS Conservatoires, as well as other creative courses at college and/or university.

Since the deadline for applying to UCAS Conservatoires courses in Music is earlier – applications have to be made by 1st October – this year we’ll be running two sessions: one for people hoping to study Music, and another for everyone else.

Focus on Applications: Music

When: Tues 31 Aug + Tues 7 Sept.
Location: Online, via Zoom.

Bookings Now Closed

Booking deadline: Mon 30 Aug

Focus on Applications: Drama, Dance, Film and Production

When: Tues 28 Sept + Tues 5 Oct.
Location: Online, via Zoom.

Booking deadline: Mon 27 Sept.

Click here to book your place.

#AnyoneCanBeWACI

Posted on by Michael Richardson

Our WACI Ambassadors are a group of young people aged 13 – 18 from schools all over the West of Scotland who have come together to encourage people their age to participate in the arts.

Young people have told us about some of the barriers they face in participating in the arts, including everything from lack of confidence, lack of opportunities and not being able to afford drama or dance classes.

Our WACI Ambassadors tell us that the types of messages they have received about studying arts subjects can be one of the hardest to overcome.

These messages include that it’s not ‘useful’ in ‘the real world.’ That music, dance, media studies and drama are ‘skive’ subjects. ‘You’ll only make money if you’re famous.’ ‘You need to get a real job.’

Instagram Takeover

From next week, our Ambassadors will be taking over our Instagram page to help spread the word!

They’ll be sharing their ‘day in the life’ on Instagram Stories, as well as interviews with people already working in the arts and creative industries, and encouraging artists to share their tips for overcoming the barriers they faced in getting into the industry.

How YOU can help!

Anyone can help by engaging with the social media takeover at @RCSWACI – liking, sharing and commenting on images and videos the young people share throughout May.

Teachers

Teachers can sign the pledge and share a picture to show that their school supports the arts!

To sign our pledge please post a selfie and write the pledge as your caption or in your story. You can also tag @RCSWACI and #AnyoneCanBeWACI to show your support.

Pledge: ‘We pledge to encourage, support, and respect all young people aspiring to study the performing and production arts’

Artists and teachers

Artists working in the creative industries – including teachers teaching creative subjects like music, drama, dance or media studies – can use the hashtag #AnyoneCanBeWACI to share their story on Instagram.

Post a photo or video with the caption ‘I’m a [dance/actor/musician/writer, whatever] #AnyoneCanBeWACI’ and share your story – how did you first get into your art form? What were some of the barriers you faced or messages you received and how did you overcome them? What’s one bit of advice you would give someone currently in secondary school who is considering a carrier in the arts?

Organisations

Like artists, organisations can use the hashtag #AnyoneCanBeWACI to share inspiring stories about people who have overcome barriers to work in the arts, as well as sharing any (free) opportunities to participate in the arts which might be available to young people in the West of Scotland.

Come and Try Online Festival

Posted on by Michael Richardson

WACI are delighted to announce that applications for our Come and Try Online Festival are now open!

Whether you’ve already got loads of experience or you want to try something for the first time, the Come and Try Online Festival is a great way to get your creativity flowing, work with experienced artists and meet other young people who are into the same things as you are.

Taking place from 6th – 15th April, all of the workshops and Q&A sessions will take place on Zoom – and best of all, it’s all FREE!

Who’s it for? 

Good news! Our IN CONVERSATION sessions are for anyone! All you need to do is sign up and we’ll send you a Zoom link on the day.

Our SHORT COURSES and MASTERCLASSES are open to secondary school age pupils who:

These sessions are also open to current Transitions students.

SHORT COURSES 

In these sessions, you’ll work with an experienced tutor over several sessions to make a scene, make a song or learn how to write a story for film.

Let’s Make a Scene with Robbie Gordon and Jack Nurse  
Tuesday 6th April, 
Thursday 8th April, 
Tuesday 13th April and 
Thursday 15th April  
10am – 12pm

Interested in drama, acting or making theatre? Always wanted to give it a go? Budding dramatists will work with theatre-makers Robbie Gordon and Jack Nurse to create, critique and collaborate on their own short, dramatic scenes as part of this short course.

Let’s Make Music with Sarah Hayes
Wednesday 7th April, 
Friday 9th April, 
Wednesday 14th April 
and Friday 16th April
10am – 12pm

Flautist, singer and keyboard player Sarah Hayes leads this short course exploring songwriting and making music. You’ll learn about generating ideas for words and music; ways in to collaboration and co-writing; and using software to create and record your own tracks. Sarah will also be offering one-to-one support and feedback on your own creations!

Storytelling for Film with Raisah Ahmed
Wednesday 14th April and Thursday  15th April
5 –7pm

Writer/director Raisah Ahmed leads this workshop on how to write for film. You’ll explore how to come up with new ideas, and learn about some of the tools you’ll need to tell visual stories on screen.

MASTERCLASSES

Musical Theatre with Stephen Mullan 


Tuesday 6th April
2.00 – 3.30pm

Warm up your vocal chords and put on your dancing shoes for this interactive musical theatre masterclass with actor/director Stephen Mullan.

Set Design with Meghan Grieve
Wednesday 7th April
2.00 – 3.30pm 


Find out all about designing sets for stage and screen with Meghan Grieve – we’ll send you a pack in the post and you’ll get to try your hand at making your own creations!

Technology and Management with Claire Hibberd
Thursday 8th April  
2.00 – 3.30pm 


Ever wondered how things work in the secret ‘backstage’ world of production? This masterclass will introduce you to some of the technology and expertise required to work in this exciting industry!

Costume Design with Meghan Grieve
2.00 – 3.30pm
Wednesday 14th April

Find out all about designing costumes for stage and screen with Meghan Grieve – we’ll send you a pack in the post and you’ll get to try your hand at making your own creations!    

Dance with Emma Jayne Park
Thursday 15th April
2.00 – 3.30pm 


Put on your dancing shoes for this dance masterclass with Emma Jayne Park.

IN CONVERSATION  

These creative conversations are open to anyone – hear from a range of different artists living in Scotland and working all over the world, and ask any burning questions you have about how to get started, how to keep going and how to make a living as an artist.

Making it Work with Cat Hepburn and Kevin P Gilday
Tuesday 6th April
4pm – 4.45pm  

Writers, performers and spoken word artists Cat Hepburn and Kevin P Gilday share their secrets to making their own work, working across multiple art forms and taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe.

How to Make a Living as an Artist with Su-a Lee and Adam Kashmiry
Wednesday 7th April
4pm – 4.45pm  

Join musician Su-a Lee and actor Adam Kashmiry who will talk about how they got started, and how they make a living as artists.

Behind the Scenes with Claire Hibberd and Carla Feuerstein
Wednesday 14th April
4pm – 4.45pm 

Find out what goes on behind the scenes at a live show with sound engineer Carla Feuerstein and sound technician Claire Hibberd.

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Bookings Now Closed

Recording Studio Taster Day Bookings Are Now Open

Posted on by Michael Richardson

Do you go to one of the 37 FOCUS West schools?

Interested in Music? 

Want to get a taste of what it’s like to work in a real recording studio?

This one day taster is for you!

You’ll work with Jamie Savage, one of Chem19’s own experienced engineers/producers, who has worked with a broad range of artists, including Found, Twilight Sad, King Creosote, Aidan Moffat & Bill Wells, Malcolm Middleton, Zoey Van Goey & Miaoux Miaoux.

You’ll work in a small group, and learn some of the basic audio engineering theory and principles, including microphones, sound levels, and outputs – and get a chance to do some recording of your own.

We’ll meet at 10.00am at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow and travel to the studio together, returning before 4.00.

When: Monday 15th OR Tuesday 16th July, 10.00 – 4.00
Where: Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew St, Glasgow G2 3DB

Booking deadline: CLOSED

Contact Us

If you have any questions contact WACI on

📧 WACI@rcs.ac.uk
☎ 0141 270 8319

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Summer School Scholarships - Applications Now Open

Posted on by Michael Richardson

Do you go to one of the 37 FOCUS West schools?

Interested in a career in the creative industries?

Want to develop your skills in a chosen field?

We’re able to offer up to 10 fully-funded places on one of the Summer Schools taking place here at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland throughout the school holidays.

These courses offer an opportunity for you to try something new, develop your existing experience and/or gain a more in-depth understanding within a variety of art forms.

From dance to drama to filmmaking, there’s something for everyone with an interest in the performing and production arts – why not click here to have a look at the Lifelong Learning Summer School’s programme and see if there’s a course that appeals to you.

Some of the courses are very popular, and spaces will fill up quickly – we’ll be assessing applications as and when they come in, so get your application in as soon as you can to avoid being disappointed!

* Update: Bookings have now closed. 

If it would be easier for you to provide a voice recording or video statement in support of your application, or you require some help filling in this form, please do not hesitate to be in touch:

📧 WACI@rcs.ac.uk
☎ 0141 270 8319

DEADLINE: Monday 15th April, 10am