Performers College: expand your backstage skill set with BIMM course

Based at Performers College’s cutting-edge campuses in both cities, the course will run between May 27 and June 20 in Manchester and June 2-27 in Birmingham. It will be delivered by experienced tutors and industry professionals and involve a mix of classroom-based learning and practical workshops – and students will leave with a nationally recognised, highly transferable Institute of Occupational Safety and Health qualification, too. 

“The course is a great introduction to a broad range of roles,” says Roberts. “Students will learn about the varied roles within stage management, explore the work of lighting, sound, set and costume designers and gain an understanding of the technical roles of lighting and sound operation, scenic construction, costume supervision and more.” 

Anyone can enrol on the course, Roberts says. There is no application process and the only requirements are that students are over 18 and have a good grasp of English.

‘This course could lead students in so many directions’ Evelyn Roberts, course leader

“We are only accepting a handful of students, though,” Roberts adds. “There will be no more than 12 in both Birmingham and Manchester. It will be an intensive experience, but it will be intimate and friendly and fun at the same time.”

BIMM University began in 2001 as Brighton Institute of Modern Music and has grown into one of Europe’s most-respected providers of performing arts training, earning university status in 2022. It has campuses in locations everywhere from Bristol to Berlin, offering training through Performers College at four UK locations: Brighton, Birmingham, Essex and Manchester. In addition to this new course, it offers a host of programmes – from three-year acting degrees to part-time masters in performing arts entrepreneurship to week-long summer schools. 
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“This course could lead students in so many directions,” Roberts says. “They leave with a good overview of all that goes on backstage so they could join the industry in an entry-level position and continue learning and earning on the job. They will also leave with an understanding of what roles they’re suited to, so will be in a good position to apply to technical training courses at a higher level, such as the ones BIMM University offers.”

Anyone interested in the Technical Theatre Production Essentials course and where it might take them can find out more on the Performers College website, or they can meet representatives at BIMM University’s Manchester campus on April 11, when it is hosting a free-to-attend TheatreWorks Backstage Careers Event.

For more information, visit performerscollege.co.uk