BA (Hons) in Scenic Arts (Construction, Props and Painting)
Sidcup, United Kingdom
DURATION
3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
29 Jan 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 22,800 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* non-EU/non-EEA fee | £9535 EU/EEA fee
Introduction
This course equips you with a range of practical theatre craft skills including prop making, scenery building and scenic painting. Skills that will enable you to pursue a career in theatre, film, television, museum displays, and themed attractions.
What you'll study
This course will develop your prop-making, scenery construction and scenic painting skills.
You will gain hands-on experience and learn from working practitioners. You will graduate with a forward-looking professional knowledge, based on traditional experience and practice as well as modern materials and emerging technologies.
Why choose this course?
- Expert training: Gain construction skills in wood and metal (using hand tools and machinery). Learn scenic painting techniques and explore prop making in a range of materials. And develop advanced skills with computer-aided design (CAD), digital manufacturing and 3D modelling using resins and silicon
- Dedicated facilities: Spacious and equipped workshops on campus, which include CAD facilities, paint frame and specialist fibreglass and plaster room
- Career focussed: Develop your areas of specialism through individual project work, productions and work placement. Creating your unique portfolio, growing your experience and preparing you for a career in the theatre and performance industries
- Learn from working professionals: Visiting tutors have included: Nigel Hook, freelance designer and Tony Award winner, The Play That Goes Wrong; Jane Broomfield, Co-designer/Art Director, ITV and BBC; Robert Allsopp, Costume props specialist; Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey production design (residency), Royal National Theatre; Zoe Ross freelance Prop Maker, Royal Opera House
- Professional industry experience: You will undertake at least one industry placement while on the course. Recent placements have included the Royal Opera House, Polka Theatre, Oily Cart Theatre Company, Emergency Exit Arts, Nottingham Playhouse, and commercial scenic workshops such as Scott Fleary (London), Rocket Scenery (Nottingham), Visual Scene (Leicester)
- Real experiences: You will manufacture scenic elements to live briefs and see them used in fully realised productions in College and London venues. Gaining an understanding of collaborating with designers, directors and other courses as part of a creative team
Admissions
Curriculum
Course content is regularly reviewed to keep it relevant and current. Course modules are therefore subject to change.
Year 1
You will be introduced to the academic and intellectual skills that you will need for study and professional development. Modules you will undertake during year 1 include but are not limited to:
- Materials and Techniques: In seminars, workshops, practical demonstrations, field trips and classes, you will be introduced to the core craft and practical skills required in a range of theatre, events and performance-related industries.
- Industry Study and Professional Preparation 1: In class, you will be introduced to the business environments, structures, models and hierarchies that exist within the theatre, events and performance-related industries.
Year 2
Your skills will be further developed towards a level appropriate to professional work. You will be given experiences that simulate professional contexts. Modules you will undertake during year 2 include but are not limited to:
- Advanced Materials and Techniques: With tutorial support and using field trips and independent research to inform your practice, you will further explore the range of advanced materials, techniques and technologies used in theatre, events and performance-related industries, being allowed to specialise in a primary area of Scenic Arts, with a secondary specialism in support.
- Industry Study and Professional Preparation 2: With briefings and tutorial support, having considered possible goals and career paths in a range of fields, you will go on to further consider relevant business models and environments.
Year 3
You are expected to be a self-directed learner in year 3. Module study options include, but are not limited to:
- Production Practice 2: You will work on one or more realised projects or productions, either within the College, with a partner organisation, or in industry. Here you will apply your skills, further extending and broadening your knowledge and understanding of Scenic Arts functions, roles, relationships and structures in a variety of contexts.
- Industry Study and Professional Preparation 3: With tutorial support, you will further consider business models and environments relevant to your chosen field or fields. Taking one or two modular options pertinent to your skillset and ambitions will allow you to focus on a particular area of your chosen industry, conducting research and fieldwork to better understand the context in which it exists.
Career Opportunities
We aim to put you in front of and amongst the profession. This includes the opportunity to network and undertake a professional placement, as well as introduce your work to the industry at our graduate exhibition in London.
Careers options
The skills you develop in this course will prepare you to join the next generation of Scenic Artists, Prop Makers, Scenic Carpenters, Scenic Metal Fabricators and Scenic Construction Drafters and enable you to pursue a rewarding career in the performance and media industries including theatre, film, television, museum displays, and themed attractions.
Studying an arts-related subject gives you a wide range of skills that can be put to use in many careers. Recent graduates have gone on to become:
- Artists
- Carpenters and joiners
- Interior decoration designers
- Production managers and directors in construction
- Painters and decorators
- Furniture makers and other craft woodworkers
- Skilled tradesperson
- Education support assistants
- Freelancers and Creative start-ups
Program delivery
Teaching and assessment methods
In your first year, you will complete around 350 hours of indicative scheduled learning and teaching activities and 850 hours of independent learning on projects, productions, placements or self-directed study. Assessment will be through Coursework, presentations, assessed tutorials and portfolios.
In your second year, you will complete around 160 hours of indicative scheduled learning and teaching activities and 1040 hours of independent learning on projects, productions, placements or self-directed study. Assessment will be through Coursework, presentations, assessed tutorials and portfolios.
In your third year, you will complete around 30 hours of indicative scheduled learning and teaching activities and 1170 hours of independent learning on projects, productions, placements or self-directed study. Assessment will be through Coursework, presentations, assessed tutorials and portfolios.