Award-Winning Marlowe Theatre and East Kent Colleges Group launch new professional Performing Arts training

East Kent Colleges Group and The Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, one of the country’s leading regional theatres, have launched a new partnership to give young people across East Kent a unique opportunity to develop their acting and performance skills through professional performing arts training. 

The partnership has seen the launch of The Marlowe Academy of Performing Arts, a first-class two-year educational programme co-created by The Marlowe and East Kent Colleges Group, which enables students at our colleges to gain real industry experience and learn from the professionals at The Marlowe Theatre whilst earning a UAL Level 3 Diploma in Acting.

The award-winning Marlowe Theatre will provide work placements, apprenticeships and performance-related master classes and projects to prepare students for their future careers alongside their qualification at College.  

Lessons began in September 2023 for our first cohort of students with learning taking place at The Marlowe Kit, in the heart of Canterbury, where they have access to large performance and rehearsal spaces.  

Students will be able to hone their creative talents with the support of industry experts and develop a range of skills in professional acting, stage movement, voice techniques and stage speech. 

This exciting partnership builds on our relationship with the theatre which has seen The Marlowe give many of our students work experience opportunities over the years, including 42 work placements within the past year. 

Deborah Shaw, Chief Executive of The Marlowe, said: “We are delighted to be working with the outstanding team at East Kent Colleges Group in a partnership built on a shared ambition to build bridges between education and industry, and shared values around inclusion, diversity, quality and collaboration.  

“Together we will be supporting young people in our region to develop their creative lives and the skills they need for a career in the performing arts. The ultimate aim is to have a sustainable, highly-skilled theatre workforce in Kent. I think this collaboration will be transformative for The Marlowe and ultimately the performing arts industry.”  

Graham Razey, Chief Executive Officer at East Kent Colleges Group, said: “As an organisation which is absolutely passionate about inclusivity, this partnership is fantastic news for young people across East Kent. We’ll be opening up access to the performing arts for students who may not have had the opportunity to experience it in the past, giving them a backstage pass to dig deep into the industry and experience all it has to offer.” 

“The new co-delivered provision is really exciting news, not only for students, but also for industry, as it will ultimately help build a talent pipeline that will ensure The Marlowe has the skills it needs to continue to flourish in the years to come. It’s a very exciting time for the thousands of young people who learn with us every year, and I will look forward to seeing this partnership continue to grow.”