Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Scrapping Undergraduate Courses Is A Scandal

As a Media and Learning Specialist with a history of leading diverse projects in regional theatres—from ‘Our Voice’ – working with young Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) communities during lockdowns to nurturing Young Critics amid declining arts coverage—resilience and hope are my default traits.

However, witnessing the slow-motion plane crash of our esteemed drama schools fills me with dread. The sector that I cherish, crucial for nurturing talent for our stages, television, film, and emotional well-being, now teeters on the brink of catastrophe.

Britain’s drama schools, once producing world-class actors for film, stage, and television, are facing death by a thousand cuts.

This week, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, founded in 1946, announced it would close its undergraduate courses, citing “unprecedented funding challenges.”

Principal and Chief Executive Fiona Francombe stated, “Along with many arts and higher education organisations, we are facing unprecedented funding challenges. Our current training model, focused on undergraduate degree courses, is no longer viable.” 

The school’s website noted the impacts of capped student fees, visa restrictions for international students, grant cuts, and rising teaching costs. While it will continue to offer postgraduate courses in acting, writing, directing, and performance design, the future is uncertain.

Take the fact that the school’s latest accounts show the school posted a £690,300 deficit on some £4 million of expenditure, with the shortfall blamed on the loss of about £500,000 in specialist conservatoire funding following the decision to liquidate the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama, a coalition of UK performing arts schools, in 2022.

Meanwhile, Alistair Smith, editor of The Stage, suggests that Bristol Old Vic Theatre School could be the canary in the coal mine. He argues that “chronic underfunding” is the core issue. “Drama schools are tethered to restrictive tuition fees and increasing bureaucracy in higher education, making intensive, specialist training nearly impossible to sustain. Rising operational costs, including energy prices and national insurance hikes, have compounded these pressures.”

Listen, this stuff isn’t new. Institutions like ALRA, the Musical Theatre Academy, and Drama Centre London have closed, unable to overcome financial challenges. Central School of Speech and Drama has even hinted at mandatory redundancies as it seeks “financial sustainability.” 

Unsurprisingly, LAMDA recently reported an unrestricted income of £17.6 million, up from £14.6 million last year, asserting its strong financial position, largely dependent on income from nationwide LAMDA exams.

The loss of local support for the arts, of course, aligns with the growing number of councils facing bankruptcy due to over a decade of central funding cuts initiated by austerity measures from the Conservative-led coalition government. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, spending on each resident by English councils, excluding education, fell nearly a quarter in real terms between 2009-10 and 2019-20. Some council leaders now struggle to meet their legal obligations to care for vulnerable communities.

Outgoing National Theatre artistic director Rufus Norris has called for the government to make oracy an educational priority alongside reading, writing, and math. He believes young people need daily opportunities to practice speaking and listening skills, and that exposure to cultural activities like theatre or cinema is essential for enriching children’s lives. Norris has warned that “for too many, an education in creativity and expression is increasingly out of reach.”

While I commend Norris for speaking up, The National Theatre’s 100% cut to its live touring to primary schools was a stupid own goal at a time when the industry needs to make the case for creativity in classrooms and the role that it has to play in supporting the arts education. 

This concern echoes Lee Elliot Major, a professor of social mobility at Exeter University, who advises the new government on education strategy. He has criticised schools for emphasising museum and theatre trips—often catering to middle-class interests—while creative industries remain elite preserves.

The issue of leadership has marred several institutions. In 2022, ALRA ceased operations, impacting 284 students and 44 staff. Principal Adrian Hall resigned amid a racism controversy, with an external review uncovering a culture of dismissing student complaints. Last year, ArtsEd principal Julie Spencer resigned following allegations of bullying and favouritism. She was the second principal in three years to leave following another investigation into misconduct.

Adding to these issues, performing arts graduate Chloe Morgan recently revealed to the BBC she spent over £1,000 auditioning for drama schools, a financial burden dissuading many from applying. Thankfully, Equity launched its #AbolishAuditionFees campaign, urging schools to eliminate fees ranging from £40 to £80 per audition. While some institutions have reduced or scrapped audition fees—Central eliminated them last spring to combat elitism.

Is it surprising that performing arts further education courses in England have seen a 68% drop in participation over the last decade? 90 per cent of actors are out of work 90 per cent of the time.

Against this backdrop, the UK economy flatlined between July and September, with revised growth figures showing zero growth for the third quarter, raising pressure on Keir Starmer regarding his promises, while Labour faces scrutiny as Rachel Reeves defends £40bn in tax increases due to the Conservatives’ economic legacy.

Some people will say it was ever thus. Direct intervention from Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and our Prime Minister is essential, I think. The Labour government must act swiftly to recognise the critical need for improved investment in creative education.

But we always look the wrong way in this country – so don’t hold your breath.

Next week, I will be attending a House of Commons reception for a project that enabled over 5,000 state school educated children across the North West to experience theatre trips for the first time. I plan to have a word.