‘The huge increase in TV and Film production, attracting the available skilled craftspeople to leave the more traditional workshops, has created a real shortage in the industry. This unique course hopes to address some of these shortages across the creative sector.’
Mike Robinson, Course Leader for the Foundation Degree in Scenic Construction
Become industry-ready with this intensive course focusing on practical, professional experience with some of the biggest names in UK set construction.
Why study scenic construction at RWCMD?
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Extensive industry experience forms the foundation of this two-year programme, which is the only one of its kind in the country. You’ll have hands-on training in constructing theatrical sets, both for RWCMD productions and during a series of different placements with our professional partners in the theatre, TV and film industries.
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These partners are some of the biggest scenic construction organisations in the UK, such as Cardiff Theatrical Services , Bay Productions, 4Wood and Wild Creations.
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With only eight places available each year, our training offers you a substantial amount of personal attention from our experienced practictioners who are experts in their field, and you’ll be treated as a professional from day one.
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When you’re not on placement you’ll be based at our fully fitted workshops at Llanishen Studios, where you will be taught carpentry, metal fabrication, drawing software for computers, as well as programming our CNC machine to cut out complicated shapes in sheet material.
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You’ll get a real feel for what it’s like working alongside practitioners from other areas of production. For example, in our workshops you’ll train alongside Design for Performance and Stage Management students, collaborating with them to present innovative and inspiring projects at RWCMD and on your placement.
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Your practical work will be prominent on the stages of our theatre spaces for RWCMD’s drama, opera and musical theatre productions.
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You don’t need previous construction experience to get a place on the course: we’re looking for passionate, inventive, creative students who are open to being challenged and trying new things.
'Scenic construction work is thriving alongside the rise of Film and TV production in Wales. We’re delighted to support the College to train the next generation of practitioners to take on new jobs in the industry.'
Hannah Raybould, Operations Manager
Industry-ready graduates
You’re treated as professionals from day one, working with the other departments across College, and gradually building more knowledge and experience into your skillset. You’ll take on increasingly high levels of responsibility for the creation and installation of stage sets. Employability is a really important element in this course and this technical training, as well as the in-built classes about professional development, financial awareness and project management, ensure that you’re industry-ready when you graduate.
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Find out more about RWCMD
- Our thriving, multicultural institution welcomes 800 students from more than 40 countries. You’ll train side-by-side with other instrumentalists, actors, singers, composers and performance designers and will work with them on projects throughout the year.
- Collaboration forms a huge part of what we do, allowing you to immerse yourself in new experiences with a broad range of disciplines and skills from across the college. Our unique student-led company REPCo, encourages students to work together to be bold, imaginative and entrepreneurial.
- Our industry partnerships provide real-world, enhanced learning experiences with leading arts organisations and professional musicians, also offering you opportunities to build your future professional networks.
- RWCMD is a vibrant arts centre staging 500 performances a year (many of which are free) which are a combination of world-leading artists and student work, often side by side. Regular major events at RWCMD include BBC Young Musician of the Year, and BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and standalone events such as the World Harp Congress in July 2022.
- The College is the first UK conservatoire to achieve a gold standard level of quality assurance across Music, Drama and Under 18s in the recent international MusiQuE, Music Quality Enhancement review. Reviewers were particularly impressed with the College's approach to the individual student experience, multidisciplinary collaboration, and overall ambition, citing RWCMD as a shining example of best practice across European conservatoires, and reflecting the College's exceptional people and unique community.
- As the world’s only Steinway-exclusive conservatoire the College now has a world-leading fleet of pianos, and every acoustic piano at the College is a Steinway.
- We fundamentally believe in the power of music to transform and enrich society, developing skills in teaching, coaching and co-creating projects to create musicians of the future who will make an impact as performers, teachers and enablers within the broader community. Fundamental questions - ‘How can we shape the industry of the future’, ‘How can we use art to make a difference’ - help us to produce musicians who are truly relevant to a 21st Century world.
- You’ll practice, study and perform in a beautiful, inspiring setting, bordering Bute Park, one of the largest green spaces in the city. We have a chamber music hall with extraordinary acoustics, a glass-lined foyer and performance space, the Richard Burton Theatre, as well as state-of-the-art studios and rehearsal spaces.
- Our campus is right in the centre of Cardiff, the UK’s first Music City, and the thriving, compact capital of Wales, which is only two hours by train to central London.
- Cardiff was named as the most cost-effective city in the UK for students, according to the NatWest Student Living Index 2022.
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