KEVICC to launch new Performing Arts Academy on the Dartington estate

Open Day: Friday 25th June 2010, 2pm-4pm

King Edward VI Community College (KEVICC) and The Dartington Hall Trust today announced the launch of KEVICC’s new Devon Performing Arts Academy (DAPA) on the Dartington estate in September 2010.

Devon Academy of Performing Arts will provide full-time vocational training for 16 to 19 year olds in a range of subjects including Musical Theatre, Performing Arts and Production Arts. It will be run by King Edward VI Community College (KEVICC), a performing arts specialist designated school, and plans to draw students from all over South Devon and beyond.

The launch of the Academy will mean new opportunities in arts education for the region’s aspiring professional performers when it opens this September.

Young people and their parents can learn more about the courses and facilities at the Academy Open Day at Dartington Hall from 2pm to 4pm on Friday 25th June. The day will include a presentation and tour of the facilities, taster sessions, live performance and refreshments.

The BTEC diploma courses are non-residential and will use some of the learning and practice facilities vacated by Dartington College of Arts following its relocation to Falmouth this summer. The new Academy will work closely with The Dartington Hall Trust and University College Falmouth to provide an outstanding learning experience for 16-19 year olds.

Kate Mason, principal of the new initiative said: “Our aim is for DAPA to become the centre of excellence for Further Education in Performing Arts in the South West. The arts spaces at Dartington will provide wonderful facilities for DAPA. We’re delighted that our partnership with the Dartington Hall Trust and the University College Falmouth flourishes and that there will continue to be a presence of young people learning in the Arts at Dartington.”

Director of Arts at Dartington, David Francis, adds: “Dartington is thrilled that the Devon Academy of Performing Arts will launch on the estate and make a significant contribution to the thriving creative community here. We have an incredible heritage in artistic education at Dartington and look forward to working with the DAPA faculty and students to develop new creative projects.”

Dr. Larry Lynch, director of the School of Performing Arts at Dartington (formerly Dartington College of Arts), commented: “We’re very happy that publicly funded performance education will continue on the Dartington estate. The studio facilities at Dartington were designed and built for this purpose so it’s great they’re being used in this way.

“This series of new vocational courses will allow us to build on the relationship between KEVICC, University College Falmouth and The Dartington Hall Trust in new ways”, he continued.

The Academy opens in September 2010 with a cohort of up to 45 students in the first year, expanding to 100 in future years.