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Founded in 1911, the Academy is Britain’s oldest theatre arts training school. It is renowned throughout the world as a training centre of excellence and is the only one to offer full-time courses at secondary, further and higher education levels. From the very beginning, the Academy promoted multi-skilled training, believing the more opportunities offered to students, the wider the choice of options in the work place. This unique ethos set the standard for future generations and is now widely recognised and applied across the sector.
The Academy has produced some of our most prolific and respected performers. It grew out of the first production of the play that was to become a children’s classic - WHERE THE RAINBOW ENDS. Italia Conti, who was already an established actress and who had a growing reputation for her success working with young people, was asked to take over their training. The play was a triumph and the school was born in basement studios in London’s Great Portland Street.
From these early beginnings, when aspiring young thespians including the young Noel Coward and Gertrude Lawrence began their careers under the direction of Miss Conti, today’s students can be secure in the knowledge that they receive the very finest training based on proven, tried and tested methods. The aim of the Academy has always been to provide a thorough education and training. Learners are nurtured by a staff of enthusiastic, professional experts using the latest teaching methods, making each course subject practical, informative and interesting while retaining traditional values. We can look back with pride secure in the knowledge that our students enter the profession with the necessary skills, having also been encouraged to develop their social talents and to evolve a set of standards essential for personal and professional fulfilment.
The Academy continues to grow and flourish and is committed to giving access to the performing arts to as many people as possible via a full range of performing arts short courses at its numerous associate school branches that can be found throughout the Country. Italia Conti students receive the unique benefits of training based on nearly 100 years of knowledge and experience geared to the needs of the present day.
