Category: Theatre

Get Into: Performing and Production Arts Update

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 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

Performance Making Taster Workshops

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 PERFORMANCE MAKING WORKSHOPS 

at the Traverse in Edinburgh and RCS in Glasgow

Two young people standingwith their back to each other, touching with a foot

In partnership with Dr Vania Gala, Head of the new Performance Making BA, Fair Access has been running taster workshops at the Traverse Theatre and at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 

At both venues, we had a brilliant turnout of creative people, willing to move, collaborate and explore new ways of working together:


‘I loved being creative, moving and the energy in the room’ 


 ‘It felt so good to move’ 


 ‘I enjoyed the positive way we connected to each other and to our own bodies, and thinking about movement in a different way…I had a lot of fun!’ 


 ‘Learning that there are resources out there that encourage new theatre being created was so useful’ 


 Our session at RCS was run in partnership with Scottish Youth Theatre and Creative Director Rikki Payne brought a group of young artists from Dunoon to take part and also couldn’t resist joining in himself! The session was co-led by Lucy Cash who teaches on the new degree programme.

Get Into: Production (Inverness)

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 Get Into: Production (Inverness) 

RCS & Fair Access at Eden Court Theatre

Man with long hair standing on a stage in an empty theatre 
‘Get Into: Production’ at Eden Court recently saw 30 young people try their hand at Lighting, Sound and Set and Costume Design. Working in performance spaces all over the theatre, led by RCS Production staff and the brilliant technical staff from Eden Court, those attending found out about careers they never knew existed and how Fair Access can create training pathways towards these careers. This is a great partnership with Eden Court which we hope to develop to reach more young people in the Highlands and Islands. 


 ‘Thanks for putting on such a fantastic workshop. My pupils absolutely loved it and we really hope that you come back!’ Catriona Rutherford Inverness Royal Academy 
 


 ‘A really super day for all and a nice variety of interests and favourite workshops. A real success!’ Morag Russell, Engagement Programme Coordinator Eden Court 
 

 Apply Now 

If you are interested in getting involved in production, register now for WACI, to gain access to a host of free workshops, short courses, performance trips and help in applying to FE/HE courses or apply for Transitions if you are intersted in studying Production at RCS and gain access to a suite of learning and support in getting you ready. What are you waiting for?

 Contact Us 

If you’d like to learn more about our ‘Get Into’ series’, contact: fairaccesshello@rcs.ac.uk

Stories and Spaces, Mull

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 Stories and Spaces, Mull 

Fair Access x SYT x Mull Youth Theatre

Stories and Songs Mull with Fair Access x Scottish Youth Theatre

Last weekend Fair Access at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland worked with 20 young people from Mull Youth Theatre and Scottish Youth Theatre on a collaborative performance project.

We used storytelling, photography, lighting & sound design and contemporary performance to create a beautiful installation together at An Tobar. 50 people visited our installation on the first day. An Tobar were so impressed with our collaborative work they invited us to leave it up in the space for others to see.

We feel so lucky to have worked with young people on Mull. The spirit of the place was very present – we were made so welcome, the young people were mightily generous and we went on amazing creative adventures in such a short space of time.

In the words of the participants:

“It has been nice learning new things and meeting people that love doing their job. I have enjoyed this because we don’t get this opportunity a lot”.

“I enjoyed meeting new and experienced people. I enjoyed learning new skills, especially on the tech side of things”.

Thank you to Mull Youth Theatre for being brilliant hosts – we sincerely hope to visit and make something exciting together again soon.

You can view more photos from the weekend on our Flickr.

Stories and Spaces

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 Stories and Spaces 

Isle of Mull, 28 – 30 Jan

School girls on stage reaching towards a superimposed map.

We are thrilled to announce a new project for 2023 – Stories & Spaces.  

Fair Access here at RCS are working in partnership with the Scottish Youth Theatre to reach young people in rural and island communities. At the end of the month, we’ll all be heading to the Isle of Mull for a two-day workshop, led by a team of artists and creative professionals.  

Stories & Spaces is a free opportunity for young people from Mull, aged 14-17, that are interested in growing their theatre and wider artistic skills. The programme will offer different approaches to performance-making through a series of workshops that creatively explore their own stories and spaces.    

The workshops will guide participants through installation-making, site-specific storytelling, photography and performance, culminating in a showcase that will be shared open to the public at An Tobar, Mull on Monday 30 January.

If you’re in the area, come check it out! If not, keep an eye on all our socials and websites for further announcements – including meeting the creative team and live updates from the project!  

 Get In Touch 

If you would like to know more about this, or any of our Fair Access projects email: fairaccesshello@rcs.ac.uk

Performance Trip: Christmas at the Conservatoire

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 Performance Trip: 

 Christmas at the Conservatoire 

Wed 14 Dec & Thu 15 Dec, 7:30pm

Group of performers in Christmas clothing

As we near the end of our Get Ready semester, we have one final exciting opportunity available for you before the winter break!

Join us at RCS for a free performance trip to see ‘Christmas at the Conservatoire.’ This will be such a great opportunity to visit RCS and to get to see conservatoires students in action as they present our annual winter concert. It will be a fantastic opportunity to see what it’s like to study at the conservatoire or in studying the arts in general. You’ll also get the chance to meet other students with similar interests (and to meet the WACI team)!

Both performances with take place at the Renfrew Street building for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and start at 7:30pm, finishing approx 9:20pm on:

Wednesday 14 of December
Thursday 15 of December

Who’s it for:

Any WACI eligible student who would like to join us on a (free!) festive performance trip. There are limited spaces so sign up now to avoid disappointment.

Visit this form to sign up

We really hope you can make it! Any questions, please do get in touch.

 Get In Touch 

If you require any further information or have any questions, email: waci@rcs.ac.uk

Get Into: Production (Ayr)

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 GET INTO: PRODUCTION (AYR) 

Open Day for 16+ and Twilight Session for Teachers

Girl holding a stick with glue dripping from it into pots.

Think the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is just about acting and music? Think again!

Come and find out about our incredibly versatile and hands-on undergraduate Production Programmes. There are two available streams: Production Arts and Design and Production Technology and Management.

Production is a vital part of any live event. Our aim is to train young people for a wide range of careers across theatre, TV, film, music concerts, live events and beyond.

Did you know? 

  • Woodwork can lead to a career in Set Construction
  • Art & Design can lead to working as a Scenic Artist or Prop Maker
  • Fashion and Textiles can lead to being a Costume Maker
  • Physics and Computing can lead to careers in Lighting, Sound and Theatre Technology

Find out the pathways from school and college to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Explore our training. Take part in taster workshops. Meet our staff and students.

Event information:

Twilight Tour for
Teachers, Lecturers, DYW
Venue: The Gaiety, Ayr
Wednesday 14 September
4.30pm – 6.30pm

 Open Day for those
aged 16+
Venue: The Gaiety, Ayr
Wednesday 5 October
9:45am – 11:45am

Register your interest by clicking the button below:

 Get In Touch 

If you require any further information or have any questions, email: fairaccesshello@rcs.ac.uk

Production Arts CLPD for Secondary Teachers

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 PRODUCTION ARTS CLPD FOR SECONDARY TEACHERS 

Events throughout May 2022

Do you teach expressive arts? Need support in delivering production-focused skills for Nat 5 or Higher? Book onto our exciting CLPD sessions, delivered throughout May, aimed at developing your production arts skills.

Session 1: Lighting

When: 12 May, 4 – 6pm
Where: All Saints, 299 Ryehill Road, Glasgow G21 3EN

From a creative point of view, explore what makes an effective lighting design, how to achieve effective lighting with different types of equipment and how to use lights and equipment correctly.  Led by Dave Evans, RCS Lighting Tutor. 

Session 2: Set Design

When: 19 May, 4 – 6:30pm
Where: RCS Wallace Studios, 210 Garscube Road, Glasgow G4 9RR

Introducing the design and production process including basic ground plans, elevations, models and scene changes.  Consider how to transform a space with a limited budget and lots of imagination. You’ll also be given the opportunity to explore the Design facilities at Wallace Studios. Led by Robin Peoples, Lecturer in Design at RCS.  

Session 3: Costume

When: 26 May, 4 – 6pm (+ 6 – 7pm)
Where: RCS Wallace Studios, 210 Garscube Road, Glasgow G4 9RR

Introducing the costume design process, including costume drawings, costume plots and garment lists.  Explore how to adapt everyday clothes into theatrical costumes on a budget.  Also, from 6pm -7pm you can explore the Costume facilities at Wallace Studios and see design and lighting come together in practice within a performance space at RCS Renfrew Street. Led by Robin Peoples, Lecturer in Design at RCS.  

Session 4: Make-Up

When: 31 May, 4 – 6pm
Where: Rosshall Academy, 131 Crookston Road, Glasgow G52 3PD

Discover how to design and apply character makeup, supplementing the use of theatrical makeup with high street-bought cosmetics to achieve particular effects. Understand what to be aware of in terms of using makeup tools and materials safely and hygienically.  Led by Debbie Montgomery, Freelance Make-Up Artist.

 

To secure your place on any of the workshops available, please follow the booking link below:

 Get In Touch 

If you require any further information or have any questions, get in touch with Louise Brown at: l.brown5@rcs.ac.uk

In partnership with Glasgow City Council’s CREATE.

Announcing: Come and Try Online Festival 2022

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 COME & TRY ONLINE FESTIVAL 

Short Courses, Masterclasses and In Conversations, 5 – 15 April

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

Image mixed with photo and graphics and text. Schoolgirl on a stage looking at an ipad.

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 5 – 15 April, all of the workshops and Q&A sessions will take place on Zoom – and best of all, it’s all free!

 Programme of Events 

In Conversation
These sessions are for everyone:

Making Music on a Budget

Combating Barriers in the Arts

Balancing your Mental Health with your Artform

Short Courses
Open to secondary school-age pupils: 

Let’s Make a Scene

Let’s Make Music

Storytelling for Film 

Masterclasses
Open to secondary school-age pupils: 

Musical Theatre

Costume Design for Theatre

Devising Monologues 

Improvising and Accompanying in Music

Production for TV and Film

Button that takes you to registration formDeadline for booking: 29 March

 

 Priority Places 

Please note that priority places will be given to pupils who are in the West of Scotland that: 

However, the festival is also open to: 

 Contact Us 

If you require any further information or have any questions, get in touch with WACI at: waci@rcs.ac.uk

Fair Access Expo 2021

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

We’re excited to announce that bookings for our upcoming Fair Access Expo are now open!!! 

Come along and join us on Thursday 4th November for open discussions around Widening Access to the Arts. 

We are delighted that the wonderful screen actor Julie Hesmondhalgh will be opening the Expo, sharing her passion for the arts and its power to transform lives and communities. We will also be sharing stories and flagging up opportunities for people interested in a career in Dance, Drama, Music, Film, Production, Theatre and the Performing Arts. 

This year, the main discussions that you can take part in are:

 Young People as Champions of Widening Access to the Arts 
A group of young people will come together to share their experience of choosing the arts as a pathway. We’ll delve into what it’s been like and how they see themselves moving forward.    

 Where Theatre Meets Film 
In this discussion we will hear from theatre-makers and filmmakers and people who do both – we will explore the many varied opportunities that are available in Film and theatre and how both practical and creative disciplines can straddle both art forms.   

 Being Working Class in The Arts 
A career in the arts is not always celebrated as a life choice or even as an option at all – in this panel we will hear from a panel of speakers from working-class communities who have forged creative careers, often against the odds.   

Registration now closed!

Head over to rcs.ac.uk/fair-access-expo to watch again

Attention all teachers and community groups:

If you would like to make a day of it and are able to host the event streamed live into your classroom/space, we have goodies!!! Register your interest in hosting a live stream of the Fair Access Expo to your young folks and we will send you through a box of goodies to give out on the day. Request your pack in Question 4 of the form by telling us roughly how many young people you are hoping will attend. The event will run from 12noon – 3pm.