Pictured above: (l-r) Amador Banning, Sasha Joseph, Gary
Shepherdson from Yorkshire Bank, LCPA founder and principal Anne
Oliver MBE, Jordanna Simpson and Reiss Thomson
An East Midlands-based arts centre of excellence is investing in
new facilities and new students as it bids to become one of the
country's leading performing arts colleges.
Leicester College of Performing Arts (LCPA), which was founded
by principal Ann Oliver MBE in 1999, is investing £150,000 on
improvements to its base on Garden Street in the city with funding
from Yorkshire Bank's Leicester Financial Solutions Centre
(FSC).
Among the work about to get underway is refurbishment to part of
the college's roof and the creation of new toilet and shower
facilities.
Miss Oliver said the improvements would allow the college to
give more young people access to first class training in performing
arts and a career in the industry.
"We are now busier than we have ever been and the next stage of
the masterplan is to be able to open up the college to more
students from across Leicester, Leicestershire and the Midlands and
really put LCPA on the map," she said.
"This investment is central to the next stage of our growth as
we want to give our students the best possible facilities to use to
build their skills and develop their talent with us.
"Lots of people think you've got to train in London to be
successful in this industry but it is time Leicester realised what
great talent we have here and that a centre of excellence is right
on their doorstep.
"We nuture the talents of young people, some of whom have come
from very challenging backgrounds, and give them the very best
training to enable them to to earn a living in the arts
industry.
"At the same time they are working towards accredited
qualifiactions like BTECs in performing arts, BTDA in dance, LCM in
singing and Trinity National Diploma musical theatre and it is so
rewarding to see so many people from so many different backgrounds
go on to be successful after graduating with us."
Around 75 full-time students are enrolled at the college and
Miss Oliver said the support from Yorkshire Bank has been vital to
its on-going development.
"Yorkshire Bank has shown great faith in us over the years and
we couldn't have got to where we are now without them," she
added.
"I've got a wonderful team, one of the best in the country, and
we're all passionate about giving young people across the Midlands
a tremendous stepping stone towards forging a career in their
chosen profession and we look forward to working with hundreds more
students in years to come."
Gary Shepherdson, business banking partner at Yorkshire Bank's
Leicester FSC on New Walk, said the college is a vital facility
that Leicester should be proud of.
"LCPA does a tremendous job with very little outside support and
Yorkshire Bank is pleased to be able to play a small part in the
development of some of the region's top talent," he said.
"The college has a vision to have its own theatre to perform on
and this latest investment is the next step towards realising this
dream and we look forward to working with Anne and managing
director Neil Allen as they continue to build on the strong success
achieved over the last 12 years."