Relocating HQ to Livingston will treble examine alternatives

PLANS to develop one in every of Scotland’s largest centres of performing arts from Edinburgh into Livingston are reaching a crescendo.

The MGA Academy’s purpose-built 30,000 sq ft campus will permit the centre to triple its pupil consumption to greater than 500 and to increase its academic programme to 11 BA levels, two post-graduate Masters levels, and strengthen basis programs.

Based in 2015 and at present primarily based in Balgreen, West Edinburgh, the MGA Academy’s new headquarters in a former tax workplace in Almondvale, Livingston, will welcome its first consumption of pupils in September and can function Scotland’s largest sprung dance ground which extends to 347 sq ft.

The services, which represents a multi-million pound funding, embrace seven rehearsal studios for performing and musical theatre, seven fully-sprung dance studios, 4 singing rooms and a TV manufacturing suite. Different options embrace a pupil welfare and physiotherapy room, a studying useful resource centre and library, IT suites, examine areas and a restaurant and social areas.

The MGA Academy is authorised by the Scottish {Qualifications} Company, the Imperial Society for the Academics of Dance, and is Scotland’s solely totally accredited faculty with the UK’s Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre.

The centre is urging potential college students to enrol early to keep away from disappointment of lacking out on a spot throughout its milestone first 12 months within the new campus.

Giles Auckland Lewis, Chief Government of The MGA Academy, stated: “We’re very excited to see our new West Lothian campus taking form and from September we’re getting ready to welcome as much as thrice the variety of college students we may beforehand enrol.

“With its location virtually equidistant between Edinburgh and Glasgow and having fun with an outstanding motorway and roads infrastructure, the brand new base will likely be far more handy for college students and employees alike and this marks the opening of a brand new chapter in our success story.

“We now have spared no expense to create a really spectacular centre which is able to take the uncooked expertise and glowing potential of house grown and worldwide performing arts college students, and provides them the fundamental instruments by way of to superior expertise to bop, sing, act and carry out on the highest ranges.”

The MGA Academy was based in 2015 to deal with a requirement for an progressive performing arts academy outdoors of London and has produced a wealth of gifted graduates who’ve appeared in studios, on stage and on display in main productions.

It’ll retain its footprint in Edinburgh, with its present Balgreen campus changing into a devoted hub for junior age teams between 4 and 18, with Livingston the main target for faculty, diploma stage and postgrad college students.

Mr Auckland-Lewis added: “The MGA Academy at Livingston will likely be actually world class and it’s nothing lower than our gifted college students deserve. The brand new campus ensures that we are able to proceed to draw world-class tutors drawn from throughout the UK, Europe and the US, who’ve the educating expertise to ship our programs for getting ready the subsequent technology {of professional} performers.

“We’re offering a platform for aspiring performers to stay in Scotland whereas finding out at a stage equal to different prestigious UK schools and potential college students ought to act now to make sure they’re a part of the inaugural consumption at our new house.”

Former pupil, Kieran Cooper who’s at present performing within the Strictly Ballroom UK tour stated: “I feel the transfer is a really good one because it opens MGA to an entire new viewers. Having everybody underneath the one roof relatively than unfold over separate campuses can solely be a very good factor.

“I’ve seen a few of the photographs of the brand new place and it seems spectacular and I can’t wait to come back and go to as soon as it opens!”

Be taught extra about The MGA Academy and tips on how to enrol for programs right here: https://www.themgaacademy.com/