Equal - Digital Repository

WAC Performing Arts and Media College began twenty five years ago as an initiative to provide training for young people from low income families in the performing arts.  WAC aimed to offer high level professional standard classes to enable those young people with talent to be in a position to apply to condervatories and specialist training in order to further their education.

WAC has extended its range of programmes in a number of ways, it has a fully developed practice of arts education which values the general 'transferable' or 'key' skills young people learn from their arts experiences.  It provides dedicated training for digital media artists and specialised courses for young people with learning difficulties. 

WAC offers specialised training for arts trainers to work in educational contexts.  WAC's accredited NVQ centre offers development and growth support to small businesses in the cultural industries while facilitating the career development of  artists'.  WAC continues to provide support to those young people who are marginalised by society and provides priority access to all of its programmes and this philosophy underpins its lifelong learning programmes.

WAC has a national and international reputation for innovative ways of teaching and learning offering access to cutting edge media and arts projects.  It is involved in a number of strategic research projects and partnerships aiming to influence the development of education system. 

Background 

WAC has 25 years experience  of providing training and specialises in training arts trainers to work in educational contexts.  WAC has an accredited training centre for NVQ's and works to support the growth of small businesses in the cultural industries, and to facilitate the development of artists' careers.

Aim

WAC seeks to develop innovative practices focuses on the engagement and support of excluded groups into the marketplace (creative industries).  WAC further seeks to work with other sectors represented by the Last Mile Partnership and to lead on the Creative Apprenticeship Development.

Activities

WAC seeks to contribute to the delivery of project activity by delivering, workshops, specialised training, master-classes, e-learning, Positive Action Support within the Creative Industries and continued professional development for creatives.  

Target Groups 

WAC's activity is particularly focussed on socially excluded minorities and is designed to provide realistic and meaningful experiences of work in the creative cultural industries and new forms of social capital.