A group of five performing arts professionals from Colombia are attending Edinburgh College to develop their English and find out more about the prominence of the creative industries in Scotland. Continue reading Colombian visitors get creative at Edinburgh College
Edinburgh College creative students launch annual festival Continue reading Here we GLOW!
Exquisite tailoring and elegant Edwardian silhouettes will be taking over Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre as Edinburgh College Costume students display their work in a new exhibition opening next week. Continue reading Costume for Stage and Screen students bring Edwardian style to Festival Theatre
Fresh from a sold out performance by their first ever National Ensemble last month, Scottish Youth Theatre have opened registrations for the 2018 company.
The successful applicants will form the second ever Scottish Youth Theatre National Ensemble. 2018 is the year of young people, and the company are keen to find the best Scotland has to offer, so they will be travelling to Edinburgh to audition aspiring performers from the area.
The National Ensemble is a year’s commitment and is open to anyone aged 16 – 25 who lives, works, studies or has family in Scotland. Auditions and membership of the Ensemble is free and entry is based purely on ability.
Once recruited, Ensemble members will attend monthly development weekends led by top theatre practitioners taking place across Scotland. This will culminate in a flagship performance in August which will be devised and performed by the company.
When asked what qualities are required in potential members, SYT’s Artistic Director Mary McCluskey explained: “We are looking for creative, enthusiastic and dedicated young people. Individuals who display the potential are the ones who will most benefit from everything the Ensemble has to offer. As the Ensemble is a collaborative experience, those with an interest in theatre-making in all its forms, including writing, directing and performing are encouraged to apply.
“The Ensemble is an amazing opportunity for anyone who wants to study or pursue a career in theatre and performance. Our current Ensemble has worked with a range of practitioners including Frantic Assembly and BAFTA winner Kate Dickie. 2018 will see similar opportunities in the build up to the main production which will be a central part of SYT’s contribution to the Year of Young People”.
Ensemble 2017 member Stephen Quinn (23) from Falkirk is keen to recommend the Ensemble experience. Stephen said: “The opportunity to work with like-minded peers and with professionals is not one to be passed up. Scottish Youth Theatre cares about giving those with talent and drive the skills and knowledge they’ll need to become versatile, accomplished performers. Working with them is an opportunity you should definitely not miss out on.”
Auditions will be held on 14 & 15 October at Edinburgh Palette in The Drawing Room.
Those interested in being part of the Ensemble should register for an audition by Friday 22 September at www.scottishyouththeatre.org
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Culture Project Fund will in its first year focus on support for the performing arts. Grants of up to £5,000 will be awarded to organisations based in Edinburgh to help with the costs involved in developing new performing artwork. Continue reading Culture Project Fund: applications close 10 March
Edinburgh College is hosting auditions for acting, dance and music courses starting in August and is inviting talented young people to come and show their skills as performers. Continue reading Performers invited to audition for College places
Catch college performers before they Take Flight
Edinburgh College’s performing arts students are ready to mesmerise the crowd tomorrow at a one-night dance festival at the city’s Festival Theatre. Continue reading Edinburgh College stars set to shine at DanceFest
Let’s Glow festival shines a light on Edinburgh College’s creative talent
Edinburgh College’s dazzling creative students are about to light up the city with a two-month celebration of their luminous talents.
The Let’s Glow festival gives Edinburgh the chance to enjoy performances and exhibitions from college students covering everything from music, theatre and dance to photography, film, art, animation, textiles and design. The programme of events will showcase the skills and talents of the students, demonstrating the work they have undertaken at Edinburgh College over the last year.
Let’s Glow runs from 4 May to 22 June, with events taking place at venues across the city – including the college’s campuses, Summerhall, The King’s Theatre, The Traverse Theatre, The Edinburgh Filmhouse and The Queen’s Hall. Photography students are also taking their work to exhibit at Brick Lane in London.
The festival will feature students from all the college’s creative industries study programmes: Art and Design; Broadcast Media and Photography; Computing; Music and Sound Production; and Performing Arts.
The programme includes large-scale end-of-year shows by music, arts, photography, film and animation students; the PASS Cross Currents dance event choreographed by college staff and performed by students; an exhibition of make-up artistry; a graphic design exhibition; performances of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale and contemporary Scottish play My Romantic History; the PASS Out showcase for final-year Acting and Performance students; a musical theatre revue; and the premier of an original musical about Scotland’s most revered and most controversial instrument – the bagpipes!
The festival launched last night with sneak peek performances at the city’s La Belle Angele.
Jon Buglass, head of the Centre for Creative Industries at Edinburgh College, said: “Following the success of the first Let’s Glow festival last year, we’re delighted to showcase the incredible talents of our current crop of students. The events at this year’s festival allow us to celebrate and share the remarkable work our students have been producing over the last year. We are constantly blown away by the quality of their work and the time, effort and dedication they put into its production.
“The diversity in the programme means there really is something for everyone on offer. So if you want to be inspired by the talents of our students, get along to one of our Let’s Glow events.”
The full programme of events – some of which are free – and details of where to buy tickets can be found at www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/letsglow.
Keep up to date with Let’s Glow events on Facebook and Twitter.
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One-off dance performance at Modern One tomorrow
Edinburgh College’s contemporary artist in residence has unveiled a new exhibition about choreography at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art – and the college’s dance students are preparing a one-off performance tomorrow (Thursday 9 April) to complete the installation.
Julie Duffy, a former HND Contemporary Art Practice student at the college, is displaying ‘Rhythmic Structure’, the culmination of her residency and an exploration of dance choreography. The exhibition is at the Pig Rock Bothy in the grounds of the Modern One gallery until 12 April.
The final phase of the work involves BA (Hons) Dance students from the college’s Performing Arts Studio Scotland, who will choreograph and perform an original dance piece in the Bothy in response to Julie’s installation on Thursday 9 April at 2pm. All are welcome to attend the performance.
Julie is one of several former college students who have been invited back to the college as artists in residence. During her five-month residency, she undertook the Rhythmic Structure project and has also been working with students to help their development.
Rhythmic Structure explores the formal qualities of dance, focusing on the collaborative work of choreographer Merce Cunningham, composer John Cage, and painters Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, alongside Oskar Schlemmer’s ‘Das Triadische Ballett’. The work includes a screen-printed floor, hanging drapes and delicate structures made from felt, card and expanding foam!
The Artist in Residence (AIR) programme at the college gives practicing artists who are also former students the opportunity to come back to the college, providing them with a dedicated studio space as well as access to specialist resources and facilities. It aims to give them an opportunity to develop their practice and gain experience in learning and teaching in further education.
Julie (above) said: “Working with the lecturers and students on the Contemporary Art Practice HND has been really stimulating. The AIR residency at Edinburgh College has been a wonderful opportunity to develop a new body of work in a creative and supportive environment. Showing my new work in such an internationally significant institution wouldn’t have been possible without the AIR programme.”
Alan Holligan, lecturer in Contemporary Art Practice and AIR programme coordinator, said: “Julie’s show at in the bothy is a mark of the quality of the artists graduating from the HND Contemporary Art Practice course who then return as artist in residence. Julie’s contribution to the course has been excellent and her influence on students is clear. I’d like to thank the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art for their support.”
Julie-Ann Delaney, curator at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, added: “The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art is delighted to be working with Julie Duffy on the presentation of her ambitious new installation within Pig Rock Bothy at Modern One. Julie’s work has transformed the interior of the bothy, and the culmination of the project – which will see a newly choreographed dance work made by Edinburgh College students – will further this by bringing the space to life in a manner unlike ever before.”
Julie, the college’s eighth artist in residence, graduated from her HND in 2008 and went on to gain a 1st class BA Hons Degree in Fine Art at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (DJCAD).
Since graduating from DJCAD in 2011, Julie has developed new work and has exhibited regularly throughout Edinburgh including solo exhibitions at Summerhall and group shows at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop. As well as developing her solo practice in sculpture, Julie has more recently been developing collaborative practices with former college artist in residence and DJCAD graduate Hayley Mathers.
Edinburgh College is currently recruiting for courses starting in August, with a range of art and design courses available, including the HND Contemporary Art Practice. For more information about courses and to learn how to apply, go to the college website edinburghcollege.ac.uk
Edinburgh College Open Days next week
Edinburgh College is throwing open its doors next week and inviting anyone interested in careers in the creative industries to find out how they can get on course to success.
The college’s Centre for Creative Industries is hosting three open days to introduce prospective students to its range of courses across three of its campuses, including art and design, computing, broadcast media, photography, music and sound production, and the performing arts.
There will be opportunities to speak to lecturers and students, experience the cutting-edge facilities at each campus, and get hands-on with interactive activities.
The Creative Industries Open Days will take place from 3-6pm at Sighthill Campus on Tuesday (3 March), Milton Road Campus on Wednesday and at Granton Campus on Thursday 5 March.
More than 100,000 people are employed in the creative industries sector in Scotland, with careers in film, radio, media, theatre, music, and digital media available.
Jon Buglass, head of the Centre for Creative Industries, said: “These open days provide the perfect opportunity for prospective students to get hands-on experience of what studying at Edinburgh College’s Centre for Creative Industries is really like. It is an exciting time for the creative industries in Scotland, and our courses provide the perfect framework to develop the skill, nurture the talent and develop the creativity of our students to prepare them for a creative career.”
Visitors to Granton Campus can see the top-of-the-range performing arts facilities at the Performing Arts Studio Scotland (PASS), which provides training in acting, dance, make-up artistry, technical theatre and theatre costume.
Budding musical theatre stars and musicians can visit Sighthill Campus, where the Music Box facilities include recording studios, practice rooms and an auditorium. The Music Box is the high-tech home to most of the college’s music performance students, both classical and pop.
Those who would prefer to study the technical side of music production can visit Milton Road Campus, where courses in sound production and the music business are offered in the CRE:8 creative centre alongside the HND Popular Music.
The campuses also have excellent facilities for those interested in courses in photography, audio visual technology and radio. The college’s computing courses provide essential skills in software development, games design, web development and building and testing computers and IT networks.
The college’s art and design students work to exciting briefs in their chosen field, whether fashion, textiles and costumes, jewellery, interior design, architecture, contemporary arts, interactive media, graphic design or illustration.
Not all courses are taught at all campuses, please check the Edinburgh College website to identify the appropriate open day for your subject area.
Applications for the all the college’s Creative Industries courses starting in August are open now – find out more about the courses available on www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/august2015 or by calling the college course information line 0131 660 1010.
Applications for August courses will close on 15 May.
