Performing Arts and Media

The Performing Arts and Media department delivers courses covering Dance, Drama, Music and TV and Film Media from Entry Level (Level 1) to Foundation Degree (Level 4). Overall courses are 12% above the national benchmark for Performing Arts provision.

The college’s new build has provided the department with state of the art facilities, including a 230 seat professional theatre, dance studio, TV studio and media editing suite, four music practice rooms furnished with PA systems, drum-kit and amplifiers, and a Protools HD recording studio.

Students have many opportunities to apply their developing skills in the professional arena and in the past have helped to run and manage the highly successful Youth Music night, Freaky Weasel; performed on P&O cruise ferries, danced in the gala opening of Sunderland Aquatic Centre; led Youth Theatre sessions, and produced commercial videos for The Primary Care Trust, East Durham Homes and The Stadium of Light.

As a department we also organise trips to broaden students’ experience and provide exposure to professional productions. In recent years these have included London visits to the West End, Edinburgh International Festival, Joseph at Newcastle Theatre Royal, Cirque du Soleil, Newcastle Arena, the Royal Shakespeare Company and Birmingham Royal Ballet. Already planned for the year 2009/10 are a three day trip to Holland including a cabaret style performance opportunity on board a cruise ferry and a band performance in a Dutch venue; the official opening of the Lubetkin Theatre within the college campus followed by a programme of dance, drama, music, cinema shows and visiting speakers on-site; Tyneside cinema film-screenings; Blood Brothers at Sunderland Empire;  regional and national student band tour and a German student exchange trip.

Many of the staff working in the department are themselves active professionals within the media and performing arts and bring their up to the minute experience of the sector to the delivery of courses.