I've raised £17731 to Help me train at Bird College
Organised by safia harkat
Story
Hello! Welcome! Thanks for clicking on my JustGiving. This is the first step to addressing the horrendous class gap in the arts.
I'm Safia, and this February I received an offer to study at one of the best drama schools in the country, on the one year Pre-Professional Foundation Year programme at Bird College. It's been a dream to have been offered one of 40 places out of over 2000 applicants, however I need some help in affording the costs;
Why do I need your help?
This year of training unfortunately leaves me ineligible for student funding, meaning I need to individually find the funds to pay for tuition fees and London living expenses out of pocket.
I come from a single parent, low income background. To be completely transparent, my mothers salary is less than the tuition fees alone, and this leaves me in no position to pay the costs of this course.
The Journey so far
Being the first in my family to complete my education and access creative training, I have had to overcome many barriers to get here.
I started my training at a Sunday theatre school, where I practiced the three disciplines of musical theatre. I could only afford to attend every other term, but the experience was so enjoyable and gave me a chance to explore different aspects of performance that I went for two years.
At 11 I developed severe anxiety and my family was put through a terrible financial situation which led me to quitting any performance activities I had been involved in. After some very tough teen years, at 14 I was able to return to training, and I gained a much stronger focus on dance. I have now been training in ballet, tap, modern, and acrobatics for three years and have performed at dance competitions with my company DanceCrazy Studios!
To put things into perspective, most who apply for drama school have been performing and developing their technique consistently for around 10 years. I have had half of this experience and have worked very hard to even get to the point of being considered for a Foundation year of training.
This opportunity at Bird College will prepare me for auditioning to drama schools for government funded BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre at drama school.
I am trying to break into an industry which is near inaccessible to me
The creative industry, one expected to encompass diversity, is severely lacking in those from minority groups. A report released by sociologists from the Universities of Edinburgh and Sheffield shows that on average, only 14.4% of individuals employed in the creative industry come from a working class background.
my article on the lack of minorities in creative industries
Too often I find myself being the only working class performer in the room. Everyone should have have access to the arts, no matter what background you come from. This industry is dominated by the middle class, who are given the network, confidence, and financial resources to take part in the creative sector. Hard work is always an aspect, but in my position hard work alone will not put food on the table. Please help me fund this course and get my foot in the door.
Breakdown of costs
Tuition fees: £9,250
Accommodation: £5400
Living Costs: £3,081
Total: £17,731
Unlike an undergraduate degree, where students are able to fund their training on a student loan, this course is NOT means tested. There is no formal funding for this course.
Description of the course
The year is a practical, performance-based programme to prepare talented students with the necessary technical skills needed to audition successfully for vocational training programmes. Students participate in daily classes of Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Singing, Acting and Musical Theatre, in order to equip the individual with the wide range of skills they will need.
Students will also be coached for their vocational auditions, covering topics such as suitability of song, dance and monologue, interview techniques, photographs and application forms. Students will also participate in a lecture programme to address issues concerning the healthy dancer/performer.
