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News, Updates and Announcements from Central

Lighting being installed in an empty theatre

News, updates and announcements from Central

Central and MENA Arts UK are pleased to announce a new associateship which will work to promote and celebrate MENA/SWANA voices and to strengthen links between higher education arts training and the industry. The associateship will seek areas of collaboration between the two organisations, including celebrating the work of MENA/SWANA artists and practitioners including students and alumni.

As part of the newly formed associateship, Central will host MENA Arts UK’s MENA/SWANA Celebration Performance Series at the School on 5 and 6 April 2024.

MENA Arts UK Logo featuring red letters against a solid white background and a yellow and white design

On Monday 18 March, the acclaimed Spanish actress and director Nuria Espert was awarded the Degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) from Central. The Honorary Doctorate award was presented during a private ceremony held at the Residence of the Ambassador to Spain, which was hosted by The Ambassador, HE José Pascual Marco.

Actress Nuria Espert sits against a grey background wearing a grey top, smiling and looking down the camera lens

On Tuesday 12 March, nominations for the highly anticipated 2024 Olivier Awards were announced, and we are delighted to share the news that several Central graduates have been recognised for their outstanding contributions across various categories. 

Text over a black background reading "nominations announced Olivier Awards"

Dr Javeria Khadija Shah, Central’s Associate Director of the Centre for Inclusive Pedagogy and Practice, has received the Outstanding Leadership Award at the Education 2.0 conference, held in Dubai, U.A.E.

Dr Javeria Khadija Shah accepts Outstanding Leadership Award at Education 2.0 conference

Congratulations to Dr Tia-Monique Uzor, Lecturer in Contemporary African and Caribbean Diasporic Performance, who has been awarded research grant funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s (AHRC) Dance Research Matters Network to establish the Digital Black Dance Ecologies Network. The funding will support research and activities undertaken by the Network through March 2025. 

Portrait of Tia-Monique Uzor

Congratulations to lecturer Andreas Skourtis for his design of the new Aristocracy London flagship store which has been awarded Gold in the Interior Design – Flagship Store category at the 2023 London Design Awards! Congratulations, as well, to Serafima Denisova, a Central Design for Performance graduate from the Class of 2023, who worked with Andreas on the award-winning design project as the 3d renderings designer. 

A navy blue luxury suit hangs against a blue and gold patterned wall and is reflected from below in a gold tabletop at the London Flagship Store of fashionwear brand Aristocracy

Congratulations to all of the students and staff who worked so hard to make the annual ALPD and White Light New Technology Showcase a success, as well as to Central's David Ripley, who was awarded the ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform 2023 Award on the day!

Embassy Theatre Stage is lit for the New Technology Showcase

Central and Deafinitely Theatre, in collaboration with Graeae Theatre Company, are excited to announce the launch of a new, 5-day BSL Acting Intensive course in July 2024. The course, the first of its kind to be offered at Central, will provide deaf artists with bespoke, high-quality actor training lead by deaf teachers, artists and practitioners in British Sign Language (BSL). The course is fully funded, with no fee to take part, and with a limited number of travel bursaries available for those who require additional support accessing Central’s campus.

Students performing an acting exercise

Central is pleased to announce that it has signed up to the Reset Better Charter, an industry-wide initiative that aims to reset industry standards in a more holistic and well-being focused way following the upheaval of the global COVID-19 pandemic. 

Central's David Ripley and Dr Kathy Sandys stand to either side of Principal Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE who holds a signed copy of the reset better charter. All three wear black and stand in the School's brick walled atrium which is filled with sunlight.

Congratulations to Dr Sarah Grochala, Senior Lecturer at Central and Course Leader for MA/MFA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media, who has been awarded the 2024 Women’s Prize for Playwriting for her play Intelligence. 

Portrait of Dr Sarah Grochala

Central Vice President Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock has received a Damehood in the 2024 New Year Honours list. 

Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock headshot, in which she wears a red top and faces the camera against a grey background

On 12 January 2024, Central was pleased to welcome graduands from the Mulberry Production Arts Academy for their inaugural graduation, hosted the Embassy theatre. The ceremony marked one year since the programme was established as a partnership initiative between the Mulberry Schools Trust, the National Theatre and Central.

White text on black background: Mulberry Production Arts Academy to the left of a blue logo made of the letters MPAA