Course
Overview
This highly practical course enables you to develop and hone your skills as a designer for performance.
By working on our extensive programme of public performances, you become a versatile practitioner, who feels equally at home designing for theatre, film and TV, dance, music and site-specific performances. Our approach allows you to create your own pathway and curate a compelling CV and portfolio that matches your ambitions.
Accreditated By:
What You Will
Study
CAD and Essential Production Skills
In this module, you gain the basic working knowledge and practical skills to allow you to meet industry expectations while employing safe working practices. You develop scenic construction workshop techniques and soldering skills, and learn about stage technology including flying and rigging systems. In order to work safely, you cover areas including electrical and fire safety, and working at height. You learn how to use essential design software such as AutoCAD, Photoshop and other visualisation platforms which you will use throughout the course.
This module content is indicative.
The Context 1
This module helps you place your work in a broad socio-cultural context. You learn about the development of the performing arts and the role that design and technology has played. Building an understanding of key external and contextual forces, you look at how these shape the practice and evolution of specific areas within the performing arts and wider culture. You develop critical and analytical skills that lay the foundations for your future work.
This module content is indicative.
Design and Construction Skills
Through this module, you build a wide range of practical design and construction skills relating to set design and realisation and how this fits into the production process. You focus on how to make scale models in order to develop and then communicate your ideas. Looking at the role of technical drawings in developing designs, you produce hand-drawn technical drawings to present relevant information. In the scenic workshop, you learn how to choose and use tools and materials, apply finishing techniques, including an introduction to scene painting and the process for set get-in and assembly.
This module content is indicative.
Design from Text 1
This module offers the opportunity to develop and apply many of the skills you acquired in Design and Construction Skills. You learn how to analyse text and you work with a professional theatre director to interpret a given text and produce hypothetical designs. Sessions across relevant areas further your knowledge and skills to support the development and presentation of your final designs which includes a completed model, costume drawings, lighting storyboards and technical drawings. You are supported throughout the process by regular one-to-one tutorials which guide your independent work.
This module content is indicative.
Essential Lighting TPD
For any theatre designer it’s important to understand the interplay between light, costume and set so you can collaborate effectively on productions. In this module, you explore the theory and practice of stage lighting, from design to rigging and from first specifications to live show operation. You are introduced to professional standards required of a lighting technician, the different roles within a professional lighting crew and how they relate to each other. The module examines the different types of creative and technical paperwork including lighting plots and lantern schedules. You also learn about the main types of lighting instruments, their rigging, focusing and use, and the different means of control and operation during live performance.
This module content is indicative.
Making Skills - Costume and Props
Through this module, you develop a practical understanding of basic equipment, materials and processes for costume and prop making. You look at the importance and methods of research as part of the design process and how the production process relates to costume and the wardrobe department. Prop making processes are introduced such as carving and mould making, while in costume you learn basic pattern cutting and dyeing techniques as well as how to source fabrics. You apply your knowledge and skills through private study and practice, including involvement in an in-house production.
This module content is indicative.
The Professional 1
This module is designed to help you achieve sustained work in your chosen profession. You learn about the different elements involved in putting on an event, including planning, budgeting, rights and clearances and digital marketing. By working as part of a small team with students from other subjects to create a one-off event, you learn first-hand about the importance of collaborating and develop essential interpersonal skills including negotiation and persuasion. Through this module, you also learn to reflect on your own personal and professional attributes and skills. This self-development technique stands you in good stead throughout your professional career.
This module content is indicative.
The Context 2
In this module, you explore the performing arts within a wider contemporary cultural, social and political context to broaden and deepen your understanding of your discipline and its surrounding issues. You focus on major cultural movements of the last 40 years which have influenced the production of the performing arts. Your study is supported by field visits and attending shows. You examine an issue, contemporary genre, practitioner or movement of your choice to produce a research portfolio. This furthers your critical and analytical skills.
This module content is indicative.
Design from Text 2
This module aims to develop and advance the skills you developed in Design from Text 1. You further develop your understanding of the director/designer process from idea generation to final presentation of a proposed design. You build awareness of working within budget alongside a production manager, and refine your practical craft skills including model making and costume drawing. There is an emphasis on demonstrating detail, practicality and rigour in your final design, aiming towards professional standards.
This module content is indicative.
The Placement
This module gives you industry experience and insight through a placement with a professional organisation or company in the performance, design and production industries. This gives you the opportunity to use and practice many of the skills learned on the course so far in a professional environment, as well as develop new practical skills and make possible contacts for future employment. During the placement, you keep a detailed log of your experience before producing a critical evaluation of what you have learned.
This module content is indicative.
Production Process
In this module, you are given further opportunity to put your learning into practice by working on a LIPA production. You are allocated a more significant role than in Year 1, with a greater set of responsibilities. This allows you to develop a better understanding of a practical role and how it fits within the production process. You are given more independence and along with fellow students assume collective responsibility for setting goals, meeting deadlines and fulfilling given briefs. This module also allows you to further develop your collaborative and interpersonal skills.
This module content is indicative.
The Professional 2
This module provides you with the appropriate employment and enterprise skills to pursue a career in theatre design and technology. This includes reviewing employment and business structures and practices within the live arts economy, business and event planning, negotiation, self-employment, and financial and tax planning. You identify potential career opportunities, including enterprise start-up and development, and create a career plan. Throughout the module, you apply your learning to practical projects and undertake substantial professional practice, including a collaborative project with students from other degrees.
This module content is indicative.
Vocational Skills Project 1 & 2
Through these modules, you extend the range of skills you developed in Year 1. Across two practical projects, you have the option to specialise and study specific areas of theatre and performance design. This allows you to match your learning and development to your career ambitions. Areas of focus could include costume and prop creation, scenic art, lighting and AV design, and puppetry making and performance skills. Your work in these modules allows you to gain a greater understanding of the professional context of these areas of production.
This module content is indicative.
Context 3
In this module, you investigate an idea at the forefront of your own practice and career goals. Through your work, you build upon the theoretical knowledge and research skills developed in previous Context modules. You identify a topic to explore based on your potential career, conduct your own research and evaluate information, ideas and concepts from a wide range of sources to produce a final dissertation.
This module content is indicative.
Design from Text 3
Following on from Design from Text 1 and 2, you once again work with a professional director to design a hypothetical production. You are given more choice and variety in terms of text and venue than previously. Your designs are expected to be imaginative and original, while taking into account practical and technical considerations of the venue you are designing for. There is a greater emphasis on your ability to manage the timescale of the project and work independently, against competing commitments from other projects. You present your work to your fellow students and as part of an exhibition.
This module content is indicative.
The Portfolio
Through this module, you gain an understanding of how to present yourself as a professional designer. This includes producing a professional portfolio which demonstrates your work and identity, creating a coherent website and creating a successful CV and business card. You learn how to record work effectively to use in your portfolio and website, using a variety of media. You also take part in practical workshops such as book binding techniques and computer visualisation programmes to support the creation of your portfolio and website.
This module content is indicative.
The Professional 3
This module prepares you for finding and pursuing employment opportunities in your chosen field. You deepen your understanding of how the performing arts sector operates to enable you to explore the full range of opportunities available to you. You develop a confident understanding of your own practice, and create a career action plan based on individual research. There is also a focus on the value of self-generated projects and how to develop your creative ideas. You discuss and develop interview techniques, taking part in a final interview about your work in this module.
This module content is indicative.
Vocational Practice
In this module, you gain experience of simulated professional practice which reflects your own career aspirations. This involves realising at least two professional standard projects in full from conception to finished production. Much of this will centre around performances and projects at LIPA, but you can also propose your own independent work or work with an external theatre or company. Through your projects, you further your knowledge of how your chosen area of the industry functions and strengthen your self-management skills. You critically evaluate your own work and present this evaluation verbally.
This module content is indicative.
How You Will
Study
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Lectures
-
Tutorials
-
Seminars
-
Workshops
-
Practical Productions
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Independent Study
-
Group Work
-
Masterclasses
How You Will Be
Assessed
You are continually assessed on your practical work and contribution to projects – both on your working process and your realised design. There is written work in the form of evaluations of your practical work and a final research project at the end of your third year when you explore an area of your choice.
Practical/written work ratio
80% practical work / 20% written assignments
Validated By:
Our
Facilities
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Theatre and Performance Design students work closely on costumed performance projects with students from other courses for up to 15 productions throughout the year.
The airy and spacious workshops provide inspirational spaces for realising designs through building shows.
The Costume Workroom is fully equipped with industrial and domestic machinery, a multitude of tailor’s mannequins and a range of hand tools. LIPA also has a well-equipped Laundry and Dye room with industrial washing machines and tumble driers, a drying cabinet, dye-vats and spray booth.
The Wardrobe Store contains a wide range of costumes and accessories ranging from Medieval to modern day, uniforms to dance wear, which can be accessed by LIPA students for shows and independent projects.
Prop Making Workshop
There are two rooms dedicated to prop making, which include sinks, an extensive range of tools, a large walk-in spray booth and a small table top spray unit.
Scenic Workshop
Situated behind the Paul McCartney Auditorium, the workshop is equipped with metalworking and woodworking machinery and is used for set and prop construction and painting for productions. It is also a practical teaching area for Theatre and Performance Design and Technology students.
Lighting
LIPA’s venues and teaching spaces hold up-to-date professional lighting equipment, allowing students to experiment and practise using tungsten, discharge and LED source generic and intelligent fixtures.
LIPA also has a range of industry-standard lighting desks which includes ETC Eos, Gio and Ion, Avolites Pearl, Wholehog, Strand and Jands Vista consoles. Our new lighting programming suite has three-dimensional computer visualisation software, such as AutoCAD, Vectorworks and Cast WYSIWYG. This dedicated suite provides students the freedom to practise and perfect their lighting programming and operation skills for theatre and performance.
Lighting Control Programming Studio
The dedicated lighting control programming and visualisation training studio offers a professional and comfortable space to learn to setup, manipulate and programme light and video. Software available to use includes ETC Eos TI, ETCnomad, Programming Wing, Autodesk AutoCAD, Vectorworks Spotlight, Resolume, Cast WYSIWYG and Capture.se.
Performance Venues
When working on productions in either the Paul McCartney Auditorium or the George Harrison Workshop Studio, you will get the opportunity to use high-spec, industry-standard equipment for lighting and special effects. The PMA is a 350-seater traditional proscenium arch theatre and our largest performance space. It is equipped with counterweight flying facilities. The George Harrison Workshop Studio seats around 100 people and is a fully equipped experimental performance space that offers creatives a 'blank canvas' for productions.
Technical Services
LIPA’s Technical Services team can help with general technical queries and booking out equipment for short-term loan. Loan equipment includes musical instruments, microphones, various recording and playback equipment, digital video and stills cameras and AV equipment.
Term-time opening hours allow you access to Technical Services from 9am until 11pm every weekday and 9am until 5pm on Saturday and 11am until 5pm on Sunday. Outside of term time it is open on weekdays from 9am - 5pm.
Learning Resources Centre
LIPA’s Learning Resources Centre (LRC) is a specialist creative and performing arts library with an extensive collection of books, e-books, scores, CDs, DVDs, e-resources, print and electronic journals. Whether you are looking for individual songs or scripts, background research or creative inspiration, the LRC Team will be able to help. The LRC offer support sessions in ICT and study skills through subject specific lectures, as well as one-to-one and drop-in sessions, ensuring you get the most out of your study. The LRC website provides the gateway to LIPA’s online catalogue and electronic resources and includes links to a wide selection of help sheets and video guides.
In addition, LIPA’s virtual learning provision which includes Moodle, holds a variety of subject-specific learning materials, such as lecture notes, useful web links and module information. The majority of these services are available off-campus. LIPA’s integrated learning environment has a variety of study spaces, including individual and group work areas, and an open-access computer suite. Facilities include printing, copying and scanning, plus binding and laminating equipment.
A range of stationery is available for purchase to support your studies. Opening hours during term time are Monday and Wednesday 9.00am to 6.00pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9.00am to 8.00pm, Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. The LRC may be closed for some weeks in June and is also closed during July and August.
ICT Services
LIPA's Information, Communications and Technology Department provides the infrastructure and services framework that enable students to exploit the latest information and communication developments. Industry-standard computer resources are running the latest productivity software on high specification workstations in dedicated computer suites. LIPA also has a colour A0 plotter, ideal for floor plans. All PCs are installed with Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office & Project as standard.
There is also access to a range of additional specialist software installed on selected workstations. These include AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Cloud applications, EarMaster, Sibelius, MindManager, Vectorworks and WYSIWYG. All workstations have access to the Internet, email and other electronic resources.
There is free Wi-Fi access throughout our buildings for students and staff members via the Eduroam network which provides a world-wide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community. Specialist ICT staff are available to answer questions, give assistance and advise on ICT issues.
LIPA Bar & Canteen
As well as serving food and drink, the bar and canteen are the hub of social activity within LIPA with both spaces licensed for performances.
The canteen is the venue for LIPA’s weekly gig night, The 2ube. Most Fridays the 2ube features live performances, showcasing musicians from LIPA and Liverpool’s music scene. The event is a collaboration between Management, Music, Sound Technology and Theatre & Performance Technology students.
The canteen also hosts open mic and jukebox shuffle nights, and independent student organised performances and benefit nights. The bar hosts regular quiz nights and Student Event Board parties.
The bar is open Monday, Thursday and Friday from 3pm - 11pm, and Tuesday and Wednesday from 3pm - 10pm, with extended hours for special events.
The canteen is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am – 3pm, serving food and drink at student-friendly prices.
Richard Reddrop
Head of Theatre and Performance Design and Technology
Richard spent over 15 years as a stage manager at the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company. While at the National he worked with many leading figures in British theatre including Richard Eyre, Matthew Bourne and Harold Pinter and writers such as Edward Bond, Tom Stoppard and Carol Churchill. Richard also produced the Everyman Theatre’s 40th birthday season celebrations involving performers such as Julie Walters, Willy Russell and Jonathan Pryce. Richard believes the best way to become a great stage manager is through first-hand experience. His understanding of the requirements and expectations of the industry means he can guide students to reach a professional standard of work.
Ashley Shairp
Course Leader Theatre & Performance Design Lecturer
Ashley has designed numerous shows for theatre and companies around the UK, ranging through classical drama, new plays, musicals, pantomimes, dance work and outdoor promenade performances. He has always been very hands-on with scene painting and prop making. Ashley’s current venture, with partner Sam Heath, is Solotoria, a theatre-for-one extravaganza which has been exhibited at the Prague Quadrennial and the V&A in London. He says that making performance should be fun, and this has permeated all of his work and teaching. Ashley firmly believes in ‘having a go’ without fear of failing or taking risks, and he encourages students to do the same.
Paul Halgarth
Lecturer
Paul has worked as a freelance lighting designer, re-lighter, lighting control programmer and production electrician. He has worked for the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield and West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds on drama, musical and dance productions, as well as co-productions with Birmingham Rep, Liverpool Everyman, Phoenix Dance Theatre and Slung Low, among many others. He exhibited a lighting design for Flight Paths at the exhibition, Make: Believe in 2015. Paul’s experience with some of the industry’s leading lighting designers and creative teams on different scale events means he can impart industry-standard practices and equip students with the skills needed to work in the field.
Lois Maskell
Lecturer
Lois has been shortlisted for the Linbury Prize for Stage Design and was a finalist in the BBC Design Vision competition. Recent collaborations as a set and costume designer include Action Transport Theatre, 20 Stories High, Royal Exchange in Manchester and the BBC comedy series The Mighty Boosh. In 2012, her site-specific designs for renowned company dreamthinkspeak were selected to represent UK design for performance in an exhibition at the V&A Museum in London. She believes that giving students the freedom to learn is essential for them to develop new skills. Her continued professional practice ensures her teaching is current and reflects industry standards.
Emma Wright
Lecturer
Emma worked as a design assistant, scene painter, prop maker and production co-ordinator at a special effects creature workshop at Shepperton Studios, before becoming a production manager at the Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse. She enjoys running explorative making workshops and using her breadth of experience to mentor students on their production work, encouraging them to apply and develop their skills on varied projects. Emma feels that learning on the job is a great way to nurture practical skills, as well as a committed work ethic and collaborative skills – and hopefully have fun at the same time.
Karen Berg
Lecturer
From a very early age Karen has been passionate about clothes and costume. Having trained in Fashion Design at Loughborough College of Art & Design, she began her career in costume, as a wardrobe assistant at the prestigious Haymarket Theatre Leicester (now the Curve Theatre), during which time she had the opportunity to work with some prestigious designers and actors. The following year she became head of wardrobe in Leicester at the Phoenix Arts Centre. Her costume design career took off in Liverpool, at the Everyman Theatre where she spent 10 years as costume designer and head of costume. Since the mid-1980s Karen’s career has been firmly based in the Northwest where she has also had the opportunity to work in most areas of the industry including theatre, Film, TV and commercials. In the early part of this century Karen, worked on the award-winning teen drama Hollyoaks, as art director. In more recent years Karen has returned to the world of costume and fashion, to teach within Liverpool Education Authority, City of Liverpool Community College and now LIPA. Karen is a fully qualified teacher at post 16 years with a Cert Ed & a PGCert. Karen is also a member of The Costume Society & the teaching union, UCU and sits on LIPA’s Green Team committee, whose aim is to make LIPA a more sustainable and environmentally active institution.
What Our
Graduates Do
Our graduates work in theatre (regional, West End, UK and international touring productions), film and TV. Their career achievements have included:
Lisa Jones (2019)
Freelance designer and maker. Dresser on The Nutcracker for Birmingham Royal Ballet, costume trainee for Netflix and Sky 1, wardrobe assistant for Welsh National Opera.
Kirsty Barlow (2018)
Finalist for The Linbury Prize in 2019. Work includes assistant set and costume designer for Sweeney Todd at the Liverpool Everyman, Seagulls at The Bolton Octagon and Ugly Bucket’s streamed performance Good Grief.
Alfie Heywood (2016)
Assistant to leading stage designer Christopher Oram on Garsington Opera’s The Turn of the Screw, Bitter Wheat, West End and Geisha for Northern Ballet.
Heledd Rees (2016)
Recent costume design credits include an immersive production of The Wolf of Wall Street in the City of London and a socially-distanced The Great Gatsby at ImmersiveLDN.
George Leigh (2016)
Winner of European Opera Prize with director Karolina Sofulak and designed Manon Lescaut for Opera Holland Park. Associate designer to Charles Edwards on productions for La Scala, Opera North and Santa Fe Opera.
Jasmine Swan (2016)
Nominated for The Stage Debut Award for Best Designer in 2018 for her debut season of work. Finalist in the Linbury Prize.
Jess Imrie (2015)
Production buyer working in TV and film. Credits include Sanditon (ITV), Silent Witness (BBC) and It’s a Sin (Channel 4).
Kathryn Nolan (2015)
Senior consultant with leading international theatre, acoustic and digital consultancy company Charcoal Blue, based in New York.
Frankie Bradshaw (2014)
Set and costume designer. She won the 2019 Stage Debut Award for Best Creative West End Debut, alongside director Lynette Linton, for Sweat at the Donmar Warehouse and Gielgud Theatre.
Grace Smart (2014)
Set and costume designer. Credits include Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual at Curve theatre, Leicester; Good Vibrations at Lyric Theatre, Belfast and Killer Joe at Trafalgar Studios, West End. Winner of the Linbury Prize 2015
Morgan Large (2003)
Award-winning West End set and costume designer
Educational qualifications are important but limited in what they can tell us about you.
Your natural ability, your fit with what and how we teach, your growth and your potential are also key factors in our admission process. We can’t evaluate these solely on your educational achievements, so no matter which course you are applying for, we look for the following attributes on your application and at the interview stage.
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"Students being able to have their designs realised in full productions is absolutely invaluable. It means that not only is LIPA training imaginative, creative, designers but also giving their students a real sense of the collaboration and practical skills required in the professional world of Theatre and Performance. "
Bunny Christie
Set designer working in the West End and Broadway and film. Winner of four Olivier Awards and one Tony Award.
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"You have an amazing institution that gives the students the possibility to grow in a warm and nourishing incubator."
Felice Ross
International lighting designer working in theatre, opera and dance in Europe, Israel, South Korea, South Africa and the USA
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"I’ve worked with LIPA students and graduates. One of them has even joined our team. She has proved beyond doubt that LIPA can deliver. "
Patrick Woodroffe
Lighting designer, awarded OBE and Royal Designer for the industry
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"It has been my great privilege and pleasure to have learnt so much, benefited so greatly from my experience working with the many LIPA graduates that have assisted me over the last few years."
Christopher Oram
Olivier, Tony and Critics Award-winning theatre designer
Additional Costs
As part of this course, there are likely to be some additional costs that are not included within your tuition fees. Many of these are optional. We’ve also included information about cost of living expenses in Liverpool in this section.
Equipment
There are a number of things you will be required to have at the beginning of your course. We understand that most students have to work to a very tight budget so we have limited the required tools to those that are absolutely essential for you to be able to start work here. We will send you a list of essentials before you enrol but items you are likely to need will include comfortable safety (steel toe cap) shoes as well as rulers, including a scale ruler, craft knives, a junior hacksaw and a good set of drawing pens and pencils.
You may need other equipment as you progress through your studies, but in addition to these standard items, designers will also need dressmaking scissors, a hot glue gun and a collection of paint brushes but more specific requirements will be sent to you before enrolment. One of the main costs is cardboard and paper for individual design projects, though these are only once per teaching year.
At the very end of the course each designer is required to create a professional standard portfolio. There are inevitably printing and binding costs associated with this task, but most people see it as an important investment for their future career.
Trips and training courses
As part of the various modules on the programme, some class trips may be offered to help support your learning. Some of these will form part of the curriculum but most will be important additions to your work. Some trips may be free or subsidised but you may be required to cover some costs yourself. There is usually a compulsory trip to Manchester in term one for designers for which we charge around £15 to £20.
Throughout your studies there will also be opportunities to attend training courses that will help you enhance your skills and employability. These are not compulsory but you will have to make a contribution towards the cost of the training courses you choose to attend. The opportunities offered vary each year but past courses have included First Aid training and Cueing to Music.
Seeing shows
You should see live performances as often as you can. This is not a compulsory, but it will help your development as a designer. Theatre visits are not covered by your tuition fees, so you’ll need to cover these costs yourself. Most theatres offer student discounts for tickets (becoming a member of YEP means you have access to cheap tickets at the Liverpool Playhouse and Everyman Theatre) and we are occasionally offered a limited number of free or discounted tickets for shows in the city. We also encourage you to see all LIPA shows. We offer discounted student tickets to make this as affordable as possible. Every year we organise trips to theatres in Manchester. In these cases, ticket costs and travel needs to be met by each individual.
Cost of living
Wherever you choose to study, you'll have to budget for accommodation and other everyday living expenses, such as food and bills.
Liverpool represents great value for students. Accommodation costs are low in comparison with other places in the UK, particularly the South East. The city's shops and entertainment venues also have lots of student discounts.
We’d recommend completing a simple budget plan to predict your income and outgoings. This should include accommodation, bills, insurance, TV licence, food, laundry, clothes, books, travel and socialising. How much you'll want to spend on a lot of these is completely personal.
There is lots of advice available online about budgeting,:
- UCAS budget calculator is a great tool to help you balance your in-comings and out-goings.
- SaveTheStudent provides useful information on student money resources, including loans, budgeting, and scholarship sources.
Most UK students will be able to take out a maintenance loan to assist with living costs and there are some grants available. We also offer some bursaries. To find out more, please see Student Finance and bursaries.
Because our courses are intensive and we have a busy season of student performances, options for part-time work during our teaching periods can be limited. However, many of our students gain flexible part-time work, in performance venues, shops, restaurants and bars. We also provide casual work opportunities for our students ranging from stewarding work on our productions to working with young people to help us widen access to our courses. The long summer break is when many of our students choose to work.
Additional Costs
As part of this course, there are likely to be some additional costs that are not included within your tuition fees. Many of these are optional. We’ve also included information about cost of living expenses in Liverpool in this section.
Equipment
There are a number of things you will be required to have at the beginning of your course. We understand that most students have to work to a very tight budget so we have limited the required tools to those that are absolutely essential for you to be able to start work here. We will send you a list of essentials before you enrol but items you are likely to need will include comfortable safety (steel toe cap) shoes as well as rulers, including a scale ruler, craft knives, a junior hacksaw and a good set of drawing pens and pencils.
You may need other equipment as you progress through your studies, but in addition to these standard items, designers will also need dressmaking scissors, a hot glue gun and a collection of paint brushes but more specific requirements will be sent to you before enrolment. One of the main costs is cardboard and paper for individual design projects, though these are only once per teaching year.
At the very end of the course each designer is required to create a professional standard portfolio. There are inevitably printing and binding costs associated with this task, but most people see it as an important investment for their future career.
Trips and training courses
As part of the various modules on the programme, some class trips may be offered to help support your learning. Some of these will form part of the curriculum but most will be important additions to your work. Some trips may be free or subsidised but you may be required to cover some costs yourself. There is usually a compulsory trip to Manchester in term one for designers for which we charge around £15 to £20.
Throughout your studies there will also be opportunities to attend training courses that will help you enhance your skills and employability. These are not compulsory but you will have to make a contribution towards the cost of the training courses you choose to attend. The opportunities offered vary each year but past courses have included First Aid training and Cueing to Music.
Seeing shows
You should see live performances as often as you can. This is not a compulsory, but it will help your development as a designer. Theatre visits are not covered by your tuition fees, so you’ll need to cover these costs yourself. Most theatres offer student discounts for tickets (becoming a member of YEP means you have access to cheap tickets at the Liverpool Playhouse and Everyman Theatre) and we are occasionally offered a limited number of free or discounted tickets for shows in the city. We also encourage you to see all LIPA shows. We offer discounted student tickets to make this as affordable as possible. Every year we organise trips to theatres in Manchester. In these cases, ticket costs and travel needs to be met by each individual.
Cost of living
Wherever you choose to study, you'll have to budget for accommodation and other everyday living expenses, such as food and bills.
Liverpool represents great value for students. Accommodation costs are low in comparison with other places in the UK, particularly the South East. The city's shops and entertainment venues also have lots of student discounts.
We’d recommend completing a simple budget plan to predict your income and outgoings. This should include accommodation, bills, insurance, TV licence, food, laundry, clothes, books, travel and socialising. How much you'll want to spend on a lot of these is completely personal.
There is lots of advice available online about budgeting,:
- UCAS budget calculator is a great tool to help you balance your in-comings and out-goings.
- SaveTheStudent provides useful information on student money resources, including loans, budgeting, and scholarship sources.
Most UK students will be able to take out a maintenance loan to assist with living costs and there are some grants available. We also offer some bursaries. To find out more, please see Student Finance and bursaries.
Because our courses are intensive and we have a busy season of student performances, options for part-time work during our teaching periods can be limited. However, many of our students gain flexible part-time work, in performance venues, shops, restaurants and bars. We also provide casual work opportunities for our students ranging from stewarding work on our productions to working with young people to help us widen access to our courses. The long summer break is when many of our students choose to work.
