Southern Regional College and Armagh City & District Council's Market Place Theatre, Armagh, have launched a new creative partnership to benefit the students and the local community.
The partnership began when Theatre Director, Jill McEneaney, visited SRC to mentor a number of the music and performing arts students. She saw the creative potential in the students and along with the staff at SRC had a brainstorming session on how the Theatre and SRC could work together.
Armagh City and District Council's Theatre and its world class facilities opened its doors to the students. SRC students will not only visit one of Ireland's premier theatres regularly but also learn about the technical and creative demands put on today's performer.
SRC students will benefit hugely from this partnership as they get to create a wide variety of performances. They will experience, first hand, how to work in such an environment.
Joy Smith, Head of School for Creative Studies at SRC commented "Vocational skill development is at the centre of this initiative and all students will leave with greater confidence and a solid understanding of how one works in this creative industry. The theatre, in turn, will benefit from these skills as the intention is to have well trained and experienced students available for future employment on and off the stage. We look forward to a vibrant and creative future together full of inspired performances and technical brilliance".
Jill McEneaney, Director Of The Market Place Theatre commented: "When I visited Southern Regional College to mentor some of the music and performing arts students it occurred to me that there was huge creative potential in Southern Regional College and the Market Place Theatre / Armagh City & District Council forming a partnership. As we now launch the partnership we look forward to working with the College on this long-term partnership and look forward to seeing the benefits it can provide to the students and the wider community".
Radio Ulster's, Linley Hamilton, who attended the launch commented "As a leader, Paddy Craig has embraced the industry and has inspired the young people to learn through providing a vision. Rather than studying, they are training for life long employment in the greater music industry. The partnership between the theatre and the College will be mutually beneficial to both and will leave a legacy, the impact of which may not be fully realised for 10 years but will change the face of learning in Armagh forever"
Back Left to right: Gerry Devlin, Director of Curriculum, Southern Regional College, Sharon O'Gorman, Director of Regeneration and Development Armagh City Council, Jill McEneaney, MarketPlace Theatre Director
Front row: 2 of the SRC music students who entertained the audience
