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‘National catastrophe’: drama school funding crisis in England sparks concern

Actors Samuel West and Paapa Essiedu join calls for urgent action to protect and expand access to arts

Actors, directors and leaders of other drama schools expressed shock and sorrow at the BOVTS cuts, and called for action to protect small specialist institutions, which are disproportionately affected by a spiralling funding crisis across higher education. BOVTS, which also counts Jeremy Irons, Naomie Harris and Patrick Stewart among its alumni, said the capping of tuition fees, restrictions to international student visas, cuts in grants and increases in costs of living and teaching had contributed to the decision to close its undergraduate programme. Prof Randall Whittaker, the principal and chief executive of Rose Bruford college, another leading drama school, described the cuts as “heart-breaking” and said the current climate risked turning the clock back and making the sector less inclusive.

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