Main premises showing two Victorian villas linked by a modern extension

Closure of ALRA

Published on:
7th April 2022

Staff and students at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (BOVTS) are saddened to hear of the sudden closure of the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA), a fellow member of the Federation of Drama Schools, on 4 April 2022.

As per guidance issued by the Office for Students (OfS), all current ALRA students have been made an offer to complete their training at Rose Bruford College.

BOVTS has received a number of enquiries from ALRA students regarding transferring their training to Bristol. We understand this is a distressing and frustrating time for ALRA students. As well as discussing the feasibility of these requests internally, the School must consult with the OfS and our validating university, UWE Bristol, before issuing any further guidance.

Regrettably, as a small institution, BOVTS is not in a position to accommodate all requests and we are unable to consider further applications to join BOVTS at the present time.

One of my favourite parts about BOVTS is that it feels ‘homegrown’. From the set to the costume, lighting, acting and sound, every single aspect of a theatre production or film is down to the students. The location of Clifton is so serene and the School being so small everyone knows each other and it feels so personal and special. Violet Morris, BA Professional Acting Student