Graduate vs Fresher

Alan Bates Bursary Winner

The Alan Bates Bursary, named in honour of the much loved champion and former patron of The Actor's Centre, has been running for 5 years and applications for the award have been growing since its inception. It's open to any actor under the age of thirty, graduating from an NCDT accredited BA Acting course or 2 year diploma in Acting and is awarded to one student who shows exceptional talent.

Each year applicants audition in front of a panel of judges lead by the Artistic Director of the Actor's Centre, Matthew Lloyd. He was joined this year by Henry Goodman and Lindsay Duncan.

The winner receives membership of the Actors Centre for one year and classes to the value of £1000. They also get a year's Spotlight subscription and receive subsidies to cover other career expenses.

Manchester Metropolitan BA Acting graduate, Christine Clare, saw off 160 others to win the prestigious award this year. Caroline Byrne, Membership Manager at the Actor's Centre, said: “She's is a very gifted young actress and this bursary will help her establish her career both in Manchester and in London'.

Hola! The journey begins…

Your first day at drama school is quite possibly one of the most exciting days in your journey as an actor. You may find you spend several years auditioning to secure a place, but when you finally get accepted, the process of becoming a fully fledged professional can truly begin.

Drama school training gives a young actor a solid grounding in various acting techniques, voice and movement. But not only that, students are given the opportunity to explore, practice and even make mistakes in order to better themselves, which is a huge privilege. You're surrounded by professionals who will monitor your progress, helping you build up your own tool box of skills, which will allow you to develop a process that works for you.

Samuel Garcia Guanche is a young actor who hasn't stopped smiling since he was accepted on the three year acting course at East 15. He moved to London from Tenerife in the Canary Islands two years ago, with one vision in mind. To become an actor. He had already spent two years auditioning for London drama schools, without success. But when most would have given up hope, it only made the twenty-one year old more determined.

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