Introducing Central

An introduction from the Interim Principal

An introduction from the Principal

Welcome to Central. 

At Central, we challenge students to be original thinkers, inventive and effective collaborators, and creative entrepreneurs who go on to make a difference. 

With 15 courses at undergraduate level and 14 Master’s programmes, alongside an expansive and award-winning Research department, we offer Europe’s most comprehensive choice of specialist higher education drama, theatre and performance training.  We have an unrivalled range of international partners and collaborators, strong industry links, a wide portfolio of professional placement opportunities and some of the highest graduate employment rates in the sector. 

Students from all over the world come to study at Central, not only to train in their chosen discipline, but also to learn about all the other related subjects and how they interrelate.  We are a truly international community drawn from some 50 different nations across the globe. 

These are undoubtedly extraordinary times and we are acutely aware that the theatre, festivals and live events industries have faced enormous challenges arising from COVID-19. During this period, drama schools like Central have been able to continue to make new work, online or in physically distanced ways. And through it all, Central remains a safe and supportive environment where students are encouraged to experiment with practices at the forefront of theatre and performance, and to interrogate the great traditions that are part of the School’s long history. 

The immediate future poses challenges but, at Central, you can be part of the solution. Central’s current and future students, our staff and partner arts organisations, have worked together to find innovative ways to overcome the obstacles COVID-19 has placed in front of the traditional ways of making and seeing performance. The performing arts will adapt and thrive again, and it will be today’s students that shape the future, with a blend of traditional skills and new techniques and understanding.  

Training for the post-COVID era starts now, and there is nowhere better placed than Central to provide it. 

We hope you’ll explore this website and discover more about Central: meet some of our undergraduate students and postgraduate students, take a virtual tour, find out how to make an application to study with us, read more about our commitment to Equality and Diversity, learn about our range of outreach activities including our work with Schools and Colleges and, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.  

Principal Josette Bushell-Mingo sits on the front steps of The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Josette Bushell-Mingo, Principal