The BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology (the operational name of The London School for Performing Arts & Technology) is an independent technology school partly funded by the BRIT awards located in The Crescent, Selhurst, Croydon, in London, England. The BRIT School was established under the CTC programme in 1991, and is dedicated to education and vocational training for the performing arts, media, art and design and the technologies that make performance possible. Its principal is Nick Williams. Lucian Grainge the chairman and chief executive of Universal Music Group has called the school remarkable and superb and noted "If you're an A&R person to have a profile at this school would be very beneficial"

The BRIT school of Performing Arts and Technology is one of the UKs Main Performing Art Schools along with Italia Conti, Performers college and Laine theatre arts.

Mandate

The school recognises that most of its students intend to make a career in the arts, entertainment and communications industries, but the school expects all to follow full time courses to completion. It has its own professional theatre, The Obie Theatre, which can seat audiences of up to 700. There are also various dance studios, musical theatre studios and TV and radio studios.

The school was founded in 1991 under the auspices of the City Technology Colleges (CTC) initiative with sponsorship from The British Record Industry Trust (BRIT). Each year the BRIT Awards Music Ceremony raises money, some of which is used to help the continuing sponsorship of the school along with other music charities.

The school is constituted as a registered charity under English law.

Entry

Entry to any of the school's courses is initially by application. Applicants for courses may, if they meet the initial entry criteria, then be invited to interview in their chosen focus; either media, music, musical theatre, drama, technical theatre (sixth form entry only), dance or visual arts, plus a meeting with relevant tutors. Entry to the music course also includes some aural and music theory tests and entry to the Dance strand includes audition rounds as does entry to Drama and Musical Theatre courses.

Alumni

Former members of the school include:

• Ace and Vis
• Adele
• Lily Allen
• Marsha Ambrosius
• Lisa Armstrong
• Dane Bowers
• James Gambrill - Head of Major Gifts, Build Africa
• Paul Garred
• Paul Godfrey
• Lynden David Hall
• Hugh Harris
• Imogen Heap
• Richard Jones
• Cush Jumbo
• Leona Lewis
• Ashley Madekwe
• Katie Melua
• Kate Nash
• Sophie Tierney
• Noisettes
• Luke Pritchard
• Reso
• Polly Scattergood
• Dan Gillespie Sells
• Kellie Shirley
• Natalie Stewart
• Jay Williams
• Rickie Haywood Williams
• Wayne Williams
• Amy Winehouse

References

1. Music industry mogul praises Selhurst's Brit School croydon today 6 October, 2008
2. http://www.brit.croydon.sch.uk/school/documents/2007-08prospectus/General%20Info.pdf General information
3. http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=36707169&blogId=131573362

External links

• The BRIT School News Blog
• The BRIT Trust
• The BRIT Awards
• The BRIT School LIVE at The Bloomsbury Theatre 2007