Central team receives Leicester College award, in conjunction with annual East Midlands Outreach Project
Congratulations to Dr Nicola Abraham, Senior Lecturer, Applied Theatre Practices at Central, who has received a 2023-24 Employer Appreciation Award from Leicester College for their Applied Theatre project. This project has transformed a performing arts module at the College to focus on arts and health and is in addition to our ongoing partnership through Central’s Outreach Programme.
Since 2021, Dr Abraham and the Innovating Knowledge Exchange team have supported Leicester College students with an Applied Theatre project, which involved collaborating with the college’s performing arts team to rewrite a module delivered in their curriculum, to transform the unit into an arts and health module. The module now includes running facilitation training with students such as sessions on dementia awareness and communication skills. Placements for students are also arranged, originally in hospitals and care homes remotely, and now continues with a local dementia day care centre in their community.
Dr Abraham said, ‘We are proud of the work we have been doing with Leicester College, not only as part of a drive to share applied theatre practice in Leicester, but also to prep students for social prescription as a career in the future.’
Kirsty Munro (Work Experience Coordinator) and Robin Winterton (Lead Tutor), Performing Arts, Leicester College, said, ‘Leicester College Acting Level 3 Students and Staff would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Nicola Abraham and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama / Intergen Project for devoting time, guidance and expertise to the Applied Theatre Project. Students gained valuable training, guidance and support in creating and delivering a performance at Holmfield Dementia Day Care Centre for a group of older adults. The group were thrilled with the performances and participated in interactive activities to the delight of both students and the community. We were pleased to see our students displaying the good practice they gained during the training - showing empathy whilst stimulating and encouraging person-centred engagement. Thank you so much for this highly valued partnership.’
Terri Cash, Access and Participation Manager at Central, said, ‘I’m so pleased to express that due to the involvement of Dr Abraham’s project on top of our existing work through Outreach, they have completely reshaped the college curriculum for the Autumn term, bringing arts and health understanding and delivery to a much younger cohort of future facilitators.
‘We are so appreciative of Dr Abraham’s time with this project and supporting the Outreach team which has been done as additional support, showing their investment within this field and one of our outreach partners Leicester College.’
Central has been a proud Higher Education partner of Leicester College since 2022, having worked with the College for many years beforehand since meeting as part of the annual transfer of the Autumn term BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre production to the East Midlands. Central’s termly engagement with the college through the East Midlands Outreach Project involves working across three of their BTEC courses, enhancing their curriculum and supporting their students to succeed and progress to higher education.
Central returned to the Curve Theatre in Leicester on 23 and 24 November 2023, with its production of Fuente Ovejuna, by Lope de Vega and translated by Adrian Mitchell, performed by BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre, designed and produced by BA (Hons) Theatre Practice. The production transferred to Leicester following a run in Central’s Courtyard Theatre from 15-18 November.
13 schools, colleges including Leicester College, and youth groups from across The East Midlands were provided with free tickets to see Fuente Ovejuna, as part of Central’s Outreach Project. Central staff and students also delivered backstage tours, post-show Q&A sessions and 15 bespoke workshops. Over 370 young people engaged with this year’s project, and all will receive free auditions if they choose to apply for any of Central’s BA Acting courses.
The run at the Curve Theatre also included a relaxed performance, offering a welcome environment to those who may find the conventions of theatre challenging, and providing an inclusive environment for audiences to engage and participate in theatre, in a way that best suits them.
Central has been transferring productions to the East Midlands since its 2012 production of Spring Awakening at the Guildhall Theatre in Derby, after which a collaborative partnership with DERBY LIVE! was established by Central’s BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre Course Leader Wendy Gadian and generously funded by the Pilkington Trust.
Now in its 12th year with a partnership with The Curve Leicester, this unique, annual project aims to provide an opportunity for Central students to work and perform in a professional theatre under touring conditions, to help to prepare them for embarking on their professional careers. It also helps to widen Central’s reach in the East Midlands and connects students and staff with local schools and community groups to encourage the next generation of young performers and theatre makers.
The East Midlands Outreach Project is fully embedded in Central’s Outreach Programme as part of its commitment to raise aspiration and attainment, and encouraging progression to higher education and the performing arts.