Creative Conversations in the Classroom

 Careers Talks Across Scotland 

With Accompanying Teacher Resources

Are you, or the young people you teach, interested in applying to study in the performing and production arts? Are you not sure where to start or what careers there may be? Fair Access have produced a suite of films and resources that can help making those decisions.

What is ‘Creative Conversations in the Classroom’?

Creative Conversations is a series of short films and accompanying teachers’ resources. The aim is to give young people an insight into what it’s really like to work in the creative industries.

​Each film features three professionals who work in a specific area of the performing or production arts in conversation with each other, and with an audience of secondary school pupils. At the end of each film, young people from the audience describe the impact this conversation has had on them. The Teachers’ Resources provide questions to get your own conversations in the classroom started after watching the film. ​

The Creative Conversations series includes artists working in:

All the films can be viewed at home, on your mobile devices or as a group in your classrooms or community spaces. You can also access them via our Toolkits page.

Contact Us

We’d love to hear about how you use these resources in your classroom or if you’re a young person that has found them useful in learning more about career options. You can say hello on our social media or if you have any questions about these resources, please get in touch at: fairaccess@rcs.ac.uk

Taster Mornings

 Taster Mornings 

For Music Teaching, Production or Acting

Are your pupils interested in studying Music Teaching, Production or Acting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland? Teachers can sign up now for you and up to three of your pupils to attend our taster morning.

These sessions will focus on providing information about the degree programmes here at RCS. They will be a great opportunity to:

  • Find out about the programmes from those who teach it
  • Get involved with interactive workshops
  • See inside RCS and get a feel for what it could be like to study here
  • Meet the Fair Access Team and learn what support we can offer you and your pupils

All sessions are taking place at RCS in the Renfrew Street building taking place from 9:30am until 12:30pm. Choose below from the sessions you’d like to attend:

 

 Who Can Take Part 

WACI is funded to support young people who face barriers in accessing the arts. You are welcome to book up to 3 pupils on this session who meet the following criteria:

Get in touch if you have any issues with filling out any of the forms.

 Contact Us 

If you have any questions about these activities please get in touch with us at: waci@rcs.ac.uk

National Schools Workshops

 National Schools Workshops 

School workshops in the performing and production arts

WACI are delighted to be offering a new programme of National Schools Workshops. Aimed at S5-6 classes and delivered within schools across Scotland. The workshops in performing and production arts are interactive, high-quality and delivered by industry experts.

Places are strictly limited and can be requested via the information pages for each workshop and subsequent signup forms:







All workshops will: 

  • Require two periods or equivalent 
  • Be targeted toward S5-6 
  • Be offered on a first come first served basis 
  • Provide students with an insight into the fully funded access programmes at RCS, further and high education pathways and potential career options 
  • Serve as talking point on their personal statement 
  • Provide them with transferable skills for their SQA assessments 

To be an eligible school you must be listed on our wider schools list 

 How to Contact Us 

If you have an queries or questions about this activity, you can contact the team at: 📧waci@rcs.ac.uk

Focus on Applications: DDPF

 Focus on Applications: DDPF 

24 and 26 September, 5 – 7pm, Online

Young person designing an artwork in a classroom

Want to discover more about applying to and studying dance, drama, filmmaking or production? Then our Focus on Applications for Dance, Drama, Filmmaking and Production (DDPF) sessions are for you.

These two free sessions will be a great chance to:

  • Learn about studying music at a college, university or conservatoire in one of the following:
  • Gain an understanding of the application process
  • Get top tips on how to write your personal statement
  • These sessions focus on applying via UCAS and UCAS Conservatoires, as well as applying for a creative course at any college and/or university

When: 24 and 26 September, 5 – 7pm
Where: Online

*Bookings now closed*


Please note: WACI prioritise those facing barriers in accessing the arts such as those who are:

Get in touch and we can check your postcode for you. 

 How to Contact Us 

If you have an queries or questions about this activity, you can contact the team at: 📧waci@rcs.ac.uk

Get Into: Performing and Production Arts

 Get Into: 

 Performing and Production Arts 

Performance, Production, Singing and Community Arts

For pupils S5 & S6 or Young People 16+

Woman performing for school children

Starting Autumn 2024

Would you like to Get Into: Performing and Production Arts but not sure where to begin? Our free Get Into courses could be the perfect answer. 

We’re running four separate programmes starting this Autumn:

  • Performance (acting, devising and dance)
  • Production for Stage and Screen (sound, lighting and camera)
  • Singing Together (confidence building and vocal leadership)
  • Community Arts (leading creative projects with communities)

These free weekly part-time sessions will be a great opportunity for you to:

  • Build your confidence
  • Develop your skills in your chosen field
  • Meet others who love the same thing as you

*Sign Ups are now closed*

Please note: Fair Access will prioritise those aged 16-19 facing barriers to accessing the arts such as those:

Get in touch and we can check your postcode for you. 

 Get In Touch 

If you have any questions or queries, email: fairaccess@rcs.ac.uk

Performance Trip: Inter/Sections

 Performance Trip: Inter/Sections at RCS 

Wednesday 13 March, 7pm – 9pm

RCS, 100 Renfrew St, Glasgow G2 3DB

Join us at RCS to watch the multi-artform production of Inter/Sections. This production is a fantastic opportunity to experience an array of different artistic practices.

Words: Performance Trip Intersections. Two dancers on a darkened stage with string running through their fingers

Not only does Inter/Sections promise to feature great performances but is also a celebration of the many Fair Access alumni involved. Come along for a preview of what some of our previous Fair Access students are doing now as this show brings together RCS students in Music, Music Composition, 3rd year students in Contemporary Performance Practice and Production Technology and Management programmes. 

Click on the button to apply for free tickets via our form.

* Applications now closed *

Deadline: 6 March, 12 noon

Please note: Fair Access works with young people facing barriers in accessing the arts, such as those who are:

Get in touch if you have any questions or need us to check a postcode for you.

Contact Us

You can contact the team at fairaccesshello@rcs.ac.uk

Directing Skills for Pupils and Teachers

 Directing Skills Workshop 

For Pupils and their Teachers

Two young women sitting looking at scripts

Fair Access brought together Neil and Linda, both experts in their own fields, to work alongside pupils and teachers exploring directing skills. The session aimed to inspire pupils with the confidence to direct for Higher and Advanced Higher Drama, giving them practical skills to put into action, but also ensuring what they did fitted the SQA marking criteria for directing. It was a brilliant session involving pupils from eight different schools. Here are some comments: 

‘Thank you so much, it was an amazing opportunity and so informative. I now know that I want to be a director for sure!’

Pupil, Paisley Grammar



‘The session was very helpful in relation to SQA marking guidelines for Higher. It was very effective in boosting my own confidence and it was fabulous to see my pupils grow in confidence directing! I feel much more comfortable to present directing candidates.’

Teacher, Levenmouth Academy

 Get in touch 

If you’d like to find out about more opportunities for you and your pupils, contact the team at: fairaccesshello@rc.ac.uk 

Get Into: Performing and Production Arts Update

 Get Into: Performing and Production Arts Update 

Musical Theatre, Filmmaking, Production, Singing and Guitar

Two people standing in a darkended room experimenting with lighting

This term, Fair Access has been running a fantastic programme of ‘Get Into’ courses designed as pathways towards further training in higher education.

Forty-five young people from across Scotland attend weekly workshops to develop their skills and confidence in either Production Arts and Technology, Guitar, Musical Theatre or Filmmaking (which focuses on either Script Writing or Post-production Sound).

Young woman showing a prop

We are especially delighted to be working in partnership with Eden Court Theatre in Inverness to host a further ‘Get Into: Production’ course, which focuses on prop making and includes a work experience placement at RCS.

Courses are led by RCS tutors and freelance artists, many of whom are RCS alumni, now working professionally. In January we are excited to offer ‘Get Into: Singing’ as part of this programme. 

 Want to know more about our ‘Get Into’ programmes? 

Look out for more Get Into programmes that you can sign up for next Spring. If you have any questions or queries, email: fairaccesshello@rcs.ac.uk

Monologue Audition Prep

 Monologue Audition Prep 

19 September – 5 October

Two young people practising lines for acting

Have you applied or are you thinking about applying to study drama at a college, university or conservatoire?

Join us at RCS for our workshops in helping you prepare for your audition.

The workshops will be the perfect opportunity for you to:

  • help select your monologues
  • prepare for the audition scenario
  • receive performance feedback

Taking place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 – 8pm on the following dates in September and October:

Tuesday Thursday
19 September 21 September
26 September 28 September
3 October 5 October

 Book your place on our form here 

Note: Fair Access is funded to support young people who face the greatest barriers in accessing the arts. Teachers are welcome to book up to four of your directing students onto this session who meet the following criteria:

  • living in a SIMD20 postcode and/or
  • care experienced or estranged and/or
  • identifying as Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour (living at a SIMD20 or 40 postcode).

You can check your postcode here or the team can check it for you.

 Contact Us 

If you have any questions or any issues with filling out the form, please get in touch at: waci@rcs.ac.uk

Masterclass for Schools: Directing

 Masterclass for Schools: 

 Directing 

Wednesday 11 October, 9:30am – 1pm

Two young men sitting on a studio floor, holding paper to read from

Do you teach pupils who have been chosen to be assessed as Directors for Higher or Advanced Higher Drama? Then our Masterclass for Schools: Directing is for you.

This workshop aims to help your young people achieve as highly as possible in their practical directing, in relation to the SQA Marking Criteria. Your pupils will be supported to get up on their feet and share ways to bring text to life. 

Come along with your Directing candidates and let’s pool our resources to give them the best opportunities for success. 

When: Wednesday 11 October, 9:30am – 1pm
Where: RCS, 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G2 3DB
Who is it for: Teachers of Drama and their pupils

* Applications now closed *

This workshop will be led by Linda Duncan McLaughlin (Director) and Neil Millar (Education Scotland) and is in partnership with Glasgow CREATE.

‘This was such an enjoyable and insightful session in how I might approach directing.’

‘It was valuable to see the process that a director goes through in the rehearsal room and processes you can take an actor through.’

Note: Fair Access is funded to support young people who face the greatest barriers in accessing the arts. Teachers are welcome to book up to four of your directing students onto this session who meet the following criteria:

  • living in a SIMD20 postcode and/or
  • care experienced or estranged and/or
  • identifying as Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour (living at a SIMD20 or 40 postcode).

You can check your postcode here or the team can check it for you.

 Contact Us 

If you have any questions or any issues with filling out the form, please get in touch at: waci@rcs.ac.uk