Two students sat in reception of BOVTS talking to a tutor

About Us

A History Of Success

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is one of the most successful and well-respected drama schools in the UK.

We attract the very best talent in students and staff, and our courses are recognised nationally and internationally as a benchmark of quality in professional acting, technical, production and management training.

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s vision:

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School will be an exemplar in modern international drama training, preparing exceptional young professionals to forge their careers in tomorrow’s creative industries.

Our values:

• Belong: we are sincere, we accept uniqueness and we adapt to include everyone who is part of our diverse and welcoming cultural community.

• Challenge with a safety net: we are always learning in a practical and dynamic way, creating and collaborating within a forward-looking, safe and caring environment.

• Identify great talent: we look to all backgrounds and communities to find the creative potential who will join us in setting the tone for excellence in our industry.

• Inner confidence: we are proud of our expertise and passionate about passing it on to next generation of industry professionals, knowing they will make a difference.

• Work productively and properly: we are efficient, respectful and collaborative and understand that everyone needs down-time.

Our strategic priorities:

1. Support our staff: to encourage and resource our staff to be dynamic in their roles, enabling professional development and providing support for them to be happy, healthy and efficient in their work.

2. Delivery excellence: delivering courses that reflect our vision and progressing with changes that ensure our students’ training adapts to the fluidity of the creative industries’ landscape.

3. Raise profile: to be an integral part of Bristol’s cultural and creative heritage, celebrating and reflecting the diversity of our city; to enhance our local, national and international partnerships in order to create opportunities for our students, share our expertise, learn from our global peers and broaden our multicultural perspectives.

4. Financial health: To sustain, grow and embed a robust and responsible business model.

5. Where we work: To occupy spaces that we can learn, thrive, innovate and create in, and that help us to deliver our exceptional conservatoire training.

Embrace your individuality. The School is looking for each artist’s nuances and seeks to nurture and strengthen them when you study here. Éloïse Richmond, MA Screen Acting Student