To date New Earth Academy has offered entry level courses in performing, writing, theatre making and technical theatre to over 400 alumni.

New Earth Academy Plus was launched in 2023 in response to feedback from academy alumni and ESEA communities. After taking academy courses, many alumni are keen to future pursue their career in theatre but feel there’s a gap between introductory courses and career opportunities, and there are few artist development programmes specifically aimed at BESEAs. The Academy Plus programme aims to bridge the gap  between our entry level courses and professional opportunities by providing further training and engagement opportunities tailored to ESEA artists and creatives to prepare them for the next stage of their careers.

New Earth Performers Academy Plus is a 2-week intensive course for ESEAs who have some performing/acting experiences already and are looking to move to the next stage of their careers.

Students will train in person with course directors, voice and movement tutors and additional guest workshops, specialist talks and panels. There will also be lunchtime industry talks and the course will finish with a showcase for an invited audience with industry professionals.

Course Dates: Monday 22nd July - Friday 26th July & Monday 29th July - Friday 2nd August
Course Leader: Broderick Chow
Location: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

What is the difference between New Earth Performer Academy and New Earth Performer Academy Plus?
New Earth Performer Academy (one-week intensive training) is suitable for any  East and South East Asians aged 18+ resident in the UK who are interested in developing their skills and engagement in the performing arts and may not have much experience in theatre and/or performing. Previous experience is not necessary. It will be an introduction course to movement, voice, ensemble work, stage combat and more. You can pick up a new hobby, try new things, learn new skills and make new friends and join the academy family!

New Earth Performers Academy Plus (two-week intensive training) is suitable for  East and South East Asians who have had some experience in theatre making and/or performing and are looking to move to the next stage of their career.

Can I apply for New Earth Performer Academy Plus if I didn’t attend New Earth Performer Academy?
Yes - please note that New Earth Academy Plus is open to artists and creatives who have had experiences or training working in the creative industry rather than those who had little or no experience.

Do I need to audition?
Selected applicants will be invited to an in person audition in London on Saturday 18th May at The Central School of Speech and Drama.

Do I need to do a self tape?
YES. We are asking applicants to the Performers Academy Plus London to submit a self tape following the instructions in the brief below. We are looking for your ability to be creative with text, clarity, energy, and confidence in performance, and to utilise your own stories in the creation of performance for camera.

It is recommended that you film your video in landscape mode, with bright light and a reasonably clean background for the panel to see you well. Please send us a video link (YouTube, Vimeo or Google Drive) to your self-tape audition task. We ask that you make sure the link is working before submitting your application and if your video is password protected, please send the password in your application form.

Self Tape Brief - “Mealtime”

Food and eating together hold special significance for ESEA communities. In this exercise, you will draw on your personal experiences of food and eating to create a short, one-to-two minute text. This can be a monologue, poem, or story. It can be based on a memorable meal, a ritual of family or friendship, a favourite or disliked food – as long as it holds personal significance for you.

In the self-tape, you should first introduce yourself, tell us why you are applying for New Earth Academy or Academy Plus, and briefly introduce the theme of your performance. This introduction should be no more than one minute.

Perform your text to camera. How you do this is entirely up to you. You can address the camera directly or speak to an invisible person outside the camera frame. You can incorporate movement and/or food if you like.You are encouraged to create your own world within the scene.

What is the schedule of the Performer Academy Plus course?
Performers Academy Plus is a 2 week long, full time course. Usual hours are 10am -6pm Monday to Friday.  There may be social activities or theatre trips on some evenings. Due to the structure and collaborative nature of the course, full attendance across all days is required.

How much do I need to pay to attend New Earth Academy and New Earth Academy Plus?
NOTHING - it’s completely free. We aim to keep all our New Earth Academy and New Earth Academy Plus free at the point of access to reduce financial barriers for participants.

We also offer travel bursary places for participants in need of financial support. If you'd like to apply for the travel bursary, please tell us why in your application  and the amount you'd like to apply for.