ArtsEd offers inclusive, detailed contemporary, BA actor training for Stage, Film, Television and Audio. Preparing you to become world-leading artists, theatre-makers and performers in all genres, by focusing on the ever-evolving developments in the creative industries.
Our tutors are inspiring, passionate industry professionals who are committed to work with you to craft the core skills you will need as an actor.
Dynamic, diverse and rigorous, this vocational three-year BA (Hons) degree in Acting course will develop your technical skills through practical classes, workshops and performances, motivating and challenging you to become an inventive and imaginative actor. By exploring imagination, improvisation, storytelling, play, text analysis, character realisation, vocal technique and movement skills you will discover how to develop a truthful, responsive and resilient individual acting process.
Our training creates graduates who are ready for a career in the industry. This can be seen on our Screenwork page, which features recent examples of original films and showreels, which students produce in their third year.
This programme is validated by City, University of London and you will receive a City, University of London award on successful completion.
Our full-time Foundation Acting course offers a student-centered approach to learning with a strong focus on the individual and their formative journey into training and beyond.
Led by Sam Gibbs, a Theatre Maker and Actor Trainer, the course, based in specialist studios at the Lyric Hammersmith, provides rigorous training that prepares students for the next step in their professional career.
Regular sessions with industry professionals ensure that the intensive actor training is blended with invaluable insights into the demands and opportunities in the performing arts sector. Recent visiting tutors have included Mike Bartlett (Earthquakes in London, King Charles III), Noma Dumezweni (Disney’s The Little Mermaid Live, The Undoing, Harry Potter & the Cursed Child), Sean Kempton (Cirque du Soleil), Matthew Xia (Artistic Director of Actors Touring Company) and Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emelia, The Wasp).
The variety of the material used in classes and projects initiates discussions on relevant topics in today’s world, that promote students’ personal development and understanding. Tutors cultivate a safe, but challenging, environment to encourage students to experiment, explore and embrace their training journey, its failures, and successes. Students are supported in choosing, and discovering, a path that is right for them at the conclusion of the course.
Our full time foundation course in Musical Theatre develops your skill and confidence in all three of the essential disciplines required for this demanding training. Delivered by tutors from our BA course, this is an excellent foundation for progression into a full-time training course.
Ensuring that you excel in all three disciplines our Full Time Foundation includes intensive one-to-one singing tuition, ensemble dance training in jazz and ballet and bespoke audition preparation. Throughout the course you will be working with our highly experienced ArtsEd tutors, who have a very thorough understanding of what drama schools are looking for in auditions.
This programme is validated by City, University of London and you will receive a City, University of London award on successful completion.
ArtsEd offers rigorous, exceptional triple-threat training. An exciting and extensive curriculum prepares you to become a world-leading performer across all disciplines and in all genres.
Our tutors are all inspiring and experienced industry professionals, committed to working with you to develop your full potential in singing, dancing and acting.
Dynamic and diverse with a focus on excellence, this vocational three-year BA (Hons) Musical Theatre course will develop your technical skills through practical classes across singing, dance and acting, one-to-one singing tuition, projects in singing, dance and acting, and final year performances.
This programme is validated by City, University of London and you will receive a City, University of London award on successful completion.
Taught by West End choreographers, real Producers, Directors and Actors. Based in a beautiful mansion Arts Centre, with three theatres (a 320 seat, 50 Studio and 200 seat Amphitheatre) as well as dance studios and other stunning rehearsal spaces.
In 2021, 95% of our students gained at least one Distinction or Distinction Star in one of their three qualifications!
Dreaming of a career on stage or in front of the camera? Performer at heart? Passionate about dance and/or drama? Our Performing Arts courses will introduce you to a variety of disciplines, commitment and work ethics; build on your self-confidence whilst creating and rehearsing content to perform to live audiences. 600+ hours of world class training each year - and FREE if you are 16-18.
Our performing Arts courses are aimed at young people who are interested in developing a career as a professional Actor/Musical Theatre performer. We are also looking for budding Directors, Choreographers and Producers who want the chance to get hands on with shows. Giving you the opportunity to develop your skills with experienced industry professionals (including West End Choreographers, London directors and producers), you will build on your knowledge of performance techniques with a view of showcasing your skills at live and recorded performances and work towards setting targets and achieving goals.
Our blended course will help to develop the skills required for Musical Theatre (including dance and singing), TV and Theatre Acting. You will explore techniques to improve confidence, group and solo work and sharing of dynamic and creative ideas which will ultimately prepare you for auditions and the professional industry.
Classes are in groups (some in year groups, others in streams for ability), plus one to one career clinics, audition coaching, singing classes and more. In addition you will learn valuable business and producing skills which can be carried forward into adult life.
The BTEC National Level 3 Foundation Diploma and Extended Diploma in Performing Arts, and the RSL Diplomas are designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to access and progress to degree level study or employment in the performing arts.
You will be placed on either a BTEC National L3 Foundation Diploma, or an RSL Extended Certificate or Diploma in year one.
A practical, performance-based programme that helps students who have the potential for full time vocational training but not yet the necessary technical standard required for entry. Students participate in daily classes for ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, singing, acting and musical theatre, in order to equip the individual with the wide range of skills they will need.
Students will also be coached for their vocational auditions, covering topics such as suitability of song, dance and monologue, interview techniques, photographs and application forms. A lecture programme will address issues concerning the healthy dancer/performer.
On successful completion of the course, graduates will automatically be given a free audition for Bird College’s vocational courses through either the FE or the HE route. Developmental advice is provided throughout the course, together with guidance on suitability of other vocational colleges.
The three year diploma course is validated by Trinity, London and has been devised for those who wish to focus on a professional training in theatre arts. It equips students with the technical and creative skills necessary for a successful career in dance and musical theatre.
Dance and Theatre studies are combined with associated areas such as Dance and Musical Theatre History, Music Theory and Appreciation, Fitness and Heath Studies and Employment Skills. In the final year, students undertake a personal project which provides an opportunity to focus on an area of particular interest, encouraging the development of an individual performance style. Many of our Diploma graduates are now enjoying success in the professional business and are promoted through our in-house Employment Agency.
The BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre is an innovative three year course that offers students the chance to develop diverse professional technical and performance skills.
The course prepares students to excel across all disciplines as they engage with an extensive range of vocational disciplines including Musical Theatre, Acting, Singing, Voice, Ballet, Jazz, Tap & Contemporary.
The programme is supported by a range of relevant academic studies which relate practice to theory, encouraging the development of the artist’s personal vision, reflection, and the enhancement of lifelong skills and employment opportunities within a professional context.
ArtsEd has a long history of producing many of the UK’s leading musical theatre performers. Our BTEC in Musical Theatre has been designed to form the foundations of this training.
Students on this pathway rapidly develop the singing, dancing, and acting skills necessary to progress in this demanding genre. Training in each area quickly establishes the level of discipline required and gives students the opportunity to master techniques and gain full control of their performance skills.
Weekly classes include singing, acting, ballet, tap and jazz. These skills are assessed throughout the year in performance projects created by small companies of students.
Recent assessment performances have included:
The course is enhanced by regular theatre trips and workshops run by industry professionals, including music directors, choreographers and West End performers.
Full support is provided to students throughout the application and audition processes for further training, study or professional work.
Some Sixth Form graduates remain at ArtsEd to study on our degree course, many secure places at other leading drama schools including GSA, Mountview, RCSSD, LAMDA, Laine Theatre Arts and Urdang.
This course provides a foundation in acting and can prepare you for further study, either at East 15 or at other acclaimed acting schools. The intention is to help create actors who will have an intellectual as well as a vocational life in the theatre, introducing you to the concepts and mechanics behind each.
The Certificate of Higher Education in Theatre Arts is a highly focused exploration of acting techniques and aims to introduce you to the context that gives each theatrical era its distinctive identity. This includes (on a practical level) movement, music, improvisational skills and acting. Overall, it is an intensively practical scheme.
Throughout the three terms, students undertake a number of compulsory modules. These cover audition technique, movement, voice and singing. During the first two terms at the Southend Campus, you are also introduced to acting courses that specialise in Stage Combat, Physical Theatre, Community Theatre and World Performance.
In addition to exploring the history and theory of theatre and its relation to other arts forms, you have regular opportunities to attend performances of plays, music and dance, as well as to visit art galleries, films and relevant historic sites.
This course is taught at both our Loughton and Southend Campuses.
