Sixty years ago, on July 6th 1951, the Rose Bruford Training College of Speech and Drama was officially recognised and licensed as an educational institution. Though it started to teach students in 1950, in 1951 we became ‘official’. So we wanted to mark the occasion with an Internet toast across the world to all alumni, current students, staff colleagues and many friends of the College. But most of all a toast to the memory of our founder herself, Rose Bruford. Celebrations kicked off last month when Cicely Berry, Head of Voice and Text for the Royal Shakespeare Company, came to dedicate a new memorial rose garden at the College to Rose Bruford and to participate in a an evening of verse readings dedicated to the College’s voice and speech ethos.
Over the years the College has continued to operate through thick and thin, suffering any number of upheavals and close scrapes—that’s the nature of a small drama school like ours.
Ironically, 60 years later we, and all other HEIs in England, will have our founding principles sorely tested through withdrawal of teaching funding from 2012, the institution of high student fees and a whole series of sustainability challenges—all of which we are preparing to meet. Remaining an independent HEI is our mission. Independence is true to the nature of this place and to Rose’s founding ideas.
What this College has done over 60 years is remarkable, sending highly skilled graduates into many fields of work: not just theatre, television and film but also teaching, community work, business and law. We even have two successful children’s book authors as alumni. We also have graduates who span the globe. Last December we organised our first alumni gathering of Japanese alumni and then in February our Icelandic alumni. More alumni groups are in the process of formation. Part of the Jubilee year will involve a reconnection with our alumni.
On Saturday, July 2nd, we had a first meeting of a new Founders Committee, alumni, staff and friends of the College, who met and resolved to form an effective alumni organisation that would connect across the years, countries and the many disciplines where our graduates are now working. Keeping in touch with the College and with each other, we know that this new alumni force will help us face the difficult road ahead as we start our next 60 years together.
It struck us that the best way to celebrate our Jubilee is not just with festivities (though I hope there will be quite a few over the year and a big party at the end of the Jubilee) but to start a campaign to reconnect with all the alumni who we can reach or who want to be reached. So please tell us about who you know that needs to know about what the College is currently doing.
When I speak about challenges facing the College they are largely to do with sustainability and matters arising from the government’s recent White Paper on Higher Education in England.
But there is so much continuous good news to say about the College:
Over 90% of last year’s graduates (2010) are in some kind of employment or further study.
We are building wider partnerships and relationships in the UK and abroad: working with London and regional theatres on new programmes, partnerships in the USA, Taiwan, Japan and all across Europe through the Erasmus mobility programme. China and Korea in the coming year.
We are in the last month of a £200,000 matched funding scheme. We may not reach the total target but we will certainly try. All support welcomed.
Our London Seasons are now set at the new Unicorn Theatre near London Bridge and we have tripled our attendance figures and box office.
Over 75 shows were produced at the College this year involving student actors, directors, designers and technicians from all disciplines.
Our Design, Management and Technology students have just had an extraordinary display of work—Tunnel Visionaries—at the Old Vic Tunnels under Waterloo Station in London.
The College has over six productions going to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Agents and industry partners have noticed us in a new way.
Our research is growing and our academic standards have improved immeasurably: we just revalidated all undergraduate courses with the University of Manchester.
We have produced decent surpluses in the past couple of years and we are in the black.
We have the full confidence of the Higher Education Funding Council of England.
We are embarking on writing a new five-year strategic plan.
In June the Queen’s Privy Council approved our name change to Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance.
And now over to you for your help and interest. We want to establish connection and stay connected to you, telling you about what we are achieving at the College as a whole and how we can mobilise you to support us going forwards.
We welcome your involvement!
Professor Michael Earley
Principal and Chief Executive