Commitment to Inclusivity and Access
At Italia Conti, we are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to world-class conservatoire-style training, regardless of age, ethnic origin, disability, gender, religion, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.
Through targeted outreach, participation activities and regional opportunities, we work to reduce barriers to training and encourage pupils and prospective students from all backgrounds to explore their potential in the performing arts.
Italia Conti has an Access and Participation Plan which covered (2026-2030) which will be available shortly on the ‘Our Policies’ page.
Our Access and Participation Priorities
Our research shows that access to specialist performing arts education is not equal. Prior training, audition preparation, financial resources, geographical location and familiarity with professional pathways can all affect who applies and who is able to secure a place. Once students begin training, financial pressures, disability, mental health and the physical demands of intensive vocational study can also affect participation and continuation.
We have identified four key areas to focus upon:
Underrepresentation of students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Underrepresentation from areas with historically low participation in higher education.
Underrepresentation of Black and Global Majority students in the Performing Arts.
Risks to continuation arising from mental health, disability and financial hardship.
Outreach Workshops
To support young people and early performers, we run a programme of free workshops, talks and regional auditions designed to provide a meaningful introduction to performing arts training and to help participants discover the style and structure of our vocational training.
These activities also include a Q&A session where one of our specialist tutors will talk about Italia Conti and performing arts training generally and answer any questions participants may have.
To request an Outreach Workshop at your School, College, private Performing Arts Academy or Youth Theatre, please contact events@italiaconti.co.uk
We currently offer four types of Outreach visits:
Musical Theatre & Dance
Explore musical theatre and dance with a visit from The School of Musical Theatre and Dance from Italia Conti. Hear about our courses and audition process, take a class with a full-time faculty member from Italia Conti, and ask any questions you have about the school and courses.
Acting and Acting (Musical Theatre)
Explore the foundations of acting, including improvisation and character development with a visit from The School of Acting from Italia Conti. Hear about our courses and audition process, take a class with a full-time faculty member from Italia Conti, and ask any questions you have about the school and courses.
First Round Audition
We can hold an official first-round audition at your school or college, giving students the opportunity to begin their application to Italia Conti in a familiar and accessible environment. Our audition team will explain the process, assess applicants and answer questions about training, courses and the next stages of their application. Students may then be invited to recall stage on site at Italia Conti in Woking.
Careers Fair
Invite Italia Conti to attend your school or college careers fair. A member of our team will introduce students to our Acting, Dance and Musical Theatre courses, explain training and career pathways, and provide practical guidance on applications, auditions, fees and the financial support available.
Regional Auditions
To ensure that students across the UK have the opportunity to audition for Italia Conti, we offer regional auditions in partnership with other leading arts institutions. These auditions are available at a reduced rate and are open to all students looking to train in the Performing Arts.
Italia Conti has collaborated with Impact Dance, Artistry Youth Dance, and SK Dance School of Performing Arts to provide audition opportunities for their students.
- Are you a school or college that would like to host a regional audition?
- Are you another HE Performing Arts provider that would like to arrange collaborative outreach regional auditions?
Widening Participation Initiatives
At Italia Conti, we’re dedicated to making performing arts education accessible to students from underrepresented groups. We are particularly focused on improving participation from Global Majority students, applicants with disabilities, and students from low socio-economic backgrounds.
If you feel you may qualify for support or access to the intiatives below, please contact info@italiaconti.co.uk.
Our initiatives include:
Targeted Outreach: Discipline-specific Acting, Dance and Musical Theatre workshops for schools, colleges and community organisations, particularly those serving underrepresented communities.
School and College Events: Opportunities for groups to experience Italia Conti’s training environment, meet staff and students, and learn more about performing arts higher education, progression routes and available support.
Emerging Talent Programme: Sustained vocational training, mentoring and audition preparation for talented young people aged 12–19, with financial support available for eligible participants.
Supported access for Short Courses: Bursaries, scholarships, discounts and supported places on selected holiday and short courses, helping to reduce financial barriers to preparatory training.
Application and Audition Preparation: Clear applicant information, audition guidance, self-tape resources and preparation opportunities designed to build confidence and make the admissions process easier to navigate.
Contextual Applicant Support: Targeted assistance for eligible applicants, which may include audition fee waivers, travel support and additional guidance through application, audition, offer and enrolment.
Financial Support During Training: Means-tested bursaries and discretionary hardship support for students whose financial circumstances may affect their participation or continuation.
Wellbeing and physical-health support: Access to wellbeing resources, counselling and, where eligible, funded or subsidised physiotherapy and sports massage.
Working with Schools and Colleges
We want our outreach activity to reach young people who may have had less access to specialist performing arts training, information and guidance. Our visits are designed to do more than introduce Italia Conti. Through practical workshops, careers guidance, audition preparation and first-round auditions, we help young people understand specialist performing arts education, develop confidence and make informed decisions about their next steps.
Where possible, we work with partners over time, connecting students with further opportunities such as school and college events, short courses, the Emerging Talent Programme, audition support and financial assistance.
We prioritise sustained partnerships with schools, colleges and community organisations that:
Serve communities experiencing socio-economic disadvantage
Are located in areas where participation in higher education is historically low
Support diverse student populations of Black and Global Majority performing artists
Have large performing arts cohorts and more able and talented students.
Have an established connection with Italia Conti and have historically supported Italia Conti's widening participation aims.
Get Involved
We welcome collaboration with schools, colleges, youth groups and performing arts centres to deliver workshops, regional auditions and engagement opportunities.
If you are interested in booking a free workshop or discussing how we can support participation in your setting, please get in touch with our outreach team.
Student Experiences
Being able to audition regionally meant I could access Italia Conti without the financial stress of travelling to London multiple times. The support I received throughout the process was incredible and made all the difference.
The outreach workshop gave me the confidence to apply to Italia Conti. I had never experienced professional training before, and the tutors were so welcoming and inspiring. It made me realise this was something I could really pursue.
I attended a free acting workshop and fell in love with the Italia Conti approach to training. The session was informative, fun, and gave me a real insight into what vocational training looks like. I applied straight after.
