STOP PRESS, 27 September: Save the Date for the Opera House!

The Royal Opera House’s ‘Open Up’ Day will happen on 27 September 2011. Following the success of the Aida Design Challenge, this year the building insight will happen in the Autumn term so there is a greater lead up to the Spring design challenge. It will also be a more specialised event including a wider spectrum of delivery areas (potentially even hospitality and business students) and dedicated to purely college students. An invite will be going out shortly.
 

Projects Updates; exclusive to Founder Colleges

What is currently up for grabs?

We will be launching the 2011/12 projects at our next Faculty and Communications Meeting on 10 June, but here are some heads up. Steve Cheney will be repeating the Summer Festival 'stage side' days, and dates should be announced from Monday 16 May.

As well as working with MOBO and The Royal Opera House, we are currently meeting with The Theatre's Trust, Ideastap, Arts Award and Opera North with new projects in mind, and looking at ways of making trade shows such as PLASA and ABTT more accessible for future visits. As we move into 2012 we will near the completion of the new Backstage Training Centre and are currently looking at events connected to it's opening.

Offstage Choices will be happening again this Autumn

I know you have all been in contact with Tina Giddings (Events Manager) with regards to your events this autumn, and it is exciting to see colleges working with more than one venue and planning meetings already under way. If you are unclear on any of the activity please let her know

MOBO 'Official' Bloggers Opportunity

The MOBO 'Official' Bloggers opportunity was launched last Tuesday and the deadline for submissions is 30 May. Please open out to as many students within your college.

The successful students will have a profile highlighting their college on the MOBO site.
 

'Fourth Wall' Hoardings Design Competition

‘Fourth Wall’ Hoardings Design Competition was launched on Monday and the deadline for submissions is Friday 17 June. Again this is not just for creative faculty students but could include students interested in Marketing or Business.

The successful design will be up for the Topping Out ceremony in September and will stay up until the opening of the building in May next year.
 

Coming Up News

What should you have in your diaries?

Next Faculty Meeting

Friday 10 June at Wiltshire College’s Chippenham Campus, with a planned gathering on the Thursday evening. The meeting will focus on what our ‘communication’ could look like –both literally in terms of getting information between us, but also to strengthen the Founder College brand.

ABTT (Associate of British Theatre Technicians)Theatre Show 15 & 16 June at Royal Horticultural Halls, London.
A number of our Industry partners will be present, including White Light and the Stage Management Association, along with Drama Schools. If anyone is planning to attend or take students feel free to let me know and I’ll look to set up some introductions. Click here for more information

Royal Court call for 'Young Playwrights'

Have you got any budding playwrights in your class? Deadline for submissions is 31 May. Click here for more information

Clore Poetry and Literature Awards

The Clore Poetry and Literature Awards fund poetry and literature initiatives for children and young people, under the age of 19, across the UK. Deadline 20 May & 23 September Click here for more information

Design Factory: the Science Museum's HE Design Challenge.
The Design Museum’s annual HE project for BA design students, spanning product, fashion/textiles, graphics/illustration and architecture/spatial design.
Tutor Brunch Briefing is on Friday 27 May. Click here for more information
 

Call to action!

Tell me all about it!

Olympic 2012 Activity
I want to hear what your college is involved in connected to the 2012 Olympics games?

VQ Day (22 June 2011)
Main event taking place at Westminster Queensway College, and you can download a PR and materials pack for your own activity.

Arts Mark
Felicity Woolf and I are meeting with the Arts Council next week to agree on how we roll out a pilot submission of the new Arts Mark.

Quality badgesTQS has recently been withdrawn –do you have other quality badges you feel work?
 

All of the above can be found on the 'Faculty and Communications' website group. Drop me an e-mail or comment with your views and updates.

Skills Academy News

As well as turning the turf on 17 May, and the new hoarding (one of your student’s artwork) going up over the summer, Robert West has started work on our 'Moving East Project'. Read some more here.

Founder College News

Off the back of my recent request for updated college stats, I have found out about some of the awards that Amersham and Wycombe College have been part of. As well as being prize winners at the Aida Design Challenge, these include 1st and 2nd Prize at the Recycled Fashion Show, and having a finalist and highly commended certificate at the Association of Photographers student awards.

If you haven’t yet please send through an update on your College stats and department contacts by Friday 13 May. e-mail me here

Lewisham College were mentioned in a great article in The Stage looking at 'Routes into the industry', as well as all of our Founder Colleges being listed. A copy of the whole paper will be coming in the post to each of your Principals. Read the article here 'The Road to Progression'.

Hope you are all well, and we will see you in just under a month down in Chippenham.