The Live Events Production degree programme is a 2-year qualification and is designed to cover a wide range of technical and design roles within the live events industry. Taught by a team of experienced professional practitioners with industry experience in theatre, live music and corporate events, you will be given the opportunity to work on a number of shows in backstage and front of house disciplines. During your time with us you will cover areas such as sound and lighting operation and design, scenic design and construction, prop making, special effects operation, stage management and crewing, and a number of management roles in theatre, live music and corporate environments.
A combination of practical classes, lectures, workshops and professional guest speakers will ensure that you become a multi-skilled technician and production artist, giving you a great understanding of the industry and the confidence to succeed in your field. The programme focuses on industry preparation and will equip you with the skills needed to pursue a career in live events.
You will work alongside other departments to produce shows in our studio theatre and 250 seat Olympus theatre, mirroring current industry processes and practices. You will also have the opportunity to experience working in other venues both locally and internationally. Previous tours have included shows in Holland, London and Bristol.
*Subject to Validation
The second year of the course will have a greater focus on the design and management of productions whilst continuing to build on, and implement the technical skills acquired in the first year. You will be required to develop core skills in CAD design (SketchUp), 3D lighting plots and renders (Wysiwyg), post-production sound design for media and system design for events, and overall production design.
You will have the opportunity to work on a variety of live events including large scale theatre productions, live music gigs, corporate events, and local and international touring shows.
Emphasising the importance of how the industry works, you will participate in work placements from a wide range of providers, including hire/events companies and a variety of performance venues.
Through our training and support, you will become industry ready, equipped to source and find work within the live events profession.
56 UCAS points from a variety of Level 3 qualifications. Experience in technical theatre or the events industry is advantageous however not essential.
A UAL Extended Diploma takes two years to complete. Upon successful completion this qualification is the equivalent of three A-Levels.
Part-time is only available on selected programmes, please contact admissions for further information.
The FdA qualifications take two years to complete full-time or four years part-time. Upon successfully completing a FdA or HND programme you can progress onto a "top-up" level 6 bachelors qualification. This additional top-up course would allow you to achieve a BA (Hons) qualification in one year full-time or two years part-time.
Part-time is only available on selected programmes, please contact admissions for further information.
We believe training should be affordable and accessible for all. That's why our audition and interview process is completely FREE.
We've designed our audition and interview process to be as relaxed as possible, we want to see the best version of you, in an environment you feel comfortable and supported to achieve your best.
To apply for a degree or university course you must apply via UCAS. If you'd like to talk through your application before submitting, please contact our admissions team.
Once you've successfully submitted your application our admissions coordinator will be in touch, you will then be allocated the next available audition/interview date.
University level admissions are coordinated centrally by the SGS Degree and University Student Experience and Recruitment Team.
Once you're happy that you've chosen the right course, you need to apply. You can either do this online, by selecting 'apply online' at the top of this page, this will launch the SGS online applications portal, or by downloading and printing out an application form.
If you'd prefer to apply by paper please contact our admissions team.
The Bristol Institute of Performing Arts is part of SGS College and our level 1-3 admissions are coordinated by the SGS College Admissions team.
Due to the unprecedented situation the country is facing with the Covid-19 pandemic, SGS is providing all students who have applied for a place on a college course with an automatic offer for September 2021. In early 2021, we will invite you to start our PreparED programme, this will ensure you're on the correct course and provide you with materials so you feel better equipped for studying with us next year. In addition, you will also get to meet your tutors and others on the course.
The FdA qualifications take two years to complete full-time or four years part-time. Upon successfully completing a FdA or HND programme you can progress onto a "top-up" level 6 bachelors qualification. This additional top-up course would allow you to achieve a BA (Hons) qualification in one year full-time or two years part-time.
Part-time is only available on selected programmes, please contact admissions for further information.
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All our Further Education (FE) college courses are FREE to UK residents who are under 19 years old on the 31st August. You will be expected to contribute towards the cost of specialist materials and resources (material fee). However, depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for financial help to cover part or all of your material fee from SGS College's Money Management Service. You should apply for financial support as possible. If you are aged 19 or over on 31st August 2019 and you are a UK/EU resident you will normally be required to pay a course fee. If you're over 19 years of age, please contact admissions for full fee information.
Don't let the cost of funding your future put you off. All our university level programmes are eligible for Student Finance England, Wales or Scotland. If eligible Student Finance will cover the full tuition cost of your university programme, you may also be eligible for a maintenance loan to support your living/travel expenses. Part-time course fees are reduced by 50% of the full-time fee per academic year.
> College Level | Bursaries (SGS College Money Management Service)> University Level | Bursaries & Scholarships
FdA - A foundation degree is a degree level qualification, which combines academic study with work place learning. Designed in association with employers, they are qualifications to equip people with the relevant skills, knowledge and understanding to achieve academic results as well as improve performance and entry into the profession. You can "top-up" an FdA qualification to a Bachelors degree by studying an additional year on either on of our "top-up" programmes or one at another institution. This is known as a 2+1 study mode.
FdA - A foundation degree is a degree level qualification, which combines academic study with work place learning. Designed in association with employers, they are qualifications to equip people with the relevant skills, knowledge and understanding to achieve academic results as well as improve performance and entry into the profession. You can "top-up" an FdA qualification to a Bachelors degree by studying an additional year on either our "top-up" or at another institution. This is known as a 2+1 study mode.
BA (Hons) - Our one year BA (Hons) "top-up" course provides students with the opportunity to "top-up" their FdA or HND qualification to a bachelors. You can also join us from another institute for your "top-up"
HND - An HND is equivalent to the second year of a Bachelors degree. It takes two years of full-time study to complete, or three to four years part time, and is designed to equip you with skills relevant to your chosen career
The Bristol Institute of Performing Arts is proud to be part of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.
The Bristol Institute of Performing Arts was previously known as the South West Academy of Dramatic Arts (SWADA) at Filton College.
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Crewing and Stagecraft
Lessons on stagecraft and crewing will give you an insight into all that happens behind the scenes. You will explore all the roles and responsibilities found on a live event and will learn how to communicate and work with other departments on a variety of productions whilst practising good backstage etiquette.
Technical Operation
Specialist training on sound, lighting and AV operation continues throughout the first year. You will build vital knowledge on how to programme and operate industry standard equipment, including our ETC Ion lighting console and our Yamaha LS9 mixing desk, as well as all other kit associated with these roles. These lessons are led by our skilled lecturers and technicians and you will have plenty of opportunity to creatively develop your skills on a number of live events and theatre shows.
Construction
The Scenic Construction unit will see you developing ideas,creating designs and constructing props and scenery for a number of large and small performances. You will be given training on a wide range of industry standard tools and machinery in our purpose-built workshop.
Health and Safety
Health and safety is crucial in live events. Whether it be wearing the correct PPE or abiding by safe working practices, you will gain understanding of how to operate safely within all roles and responsibilities covered on the course, preparing you for a career in the industry.
Special FX
This unit covers a wide range of special effects required to create specific illusions in productions. We cover a range of areas such as puppetry and animatronics, animated props, fake snow or fog, pyrotechnics, and lighting and sound effects.