MA Performance: Theatre or Theatre Collectives

at University of Chichester

An artist-led masters programme open to theatre makers of all styles and disciplines

Prepare for the next stage of your theatre career

These MA Theatre and MA Theatre Collectives courses are designed for interdisciplinary theatre and performance artists or groups*. The programme is designed to be flexible with options to study full-time, part-time, or through distance learning.

The courses combine taught study with research, and explore postgraduate research methodologies. You will use these methodologies to create a new piece of work, an artists portfolio, business plan, and a practice-led-research project.

This artist led theatre-making programme is particularly suited to practitioners (emerging or established) looking to define and/or refine their professional practice, artistic identity and portfolio. A key aspect of the course is the mentoring you receive from professional practitioners. You will receive mentorship to provide an ‘external’ view on your work and provide support for ongoing development alongside self-directed practice.

You will develop your practical and study skills to postgraduate level as you take part in interdisciplinary practice-led research methodologies and contribute to practice led research and the development of new work. You will develop and independent and driven ethos as well as strategies for professional self-reliance which will support you throughout your career. The course also focuses on innovation and experimentation in contemporary live arts making.

This programme is designed to be extremely flexible, reflecting the diversity of approaches to making contemporary theatre and performance. The Department of Theatre at Chichester has an established reputation for working with a wide range of contemporary performance artists who recognise the opportunities of creative research and development within an applied university context.

Our departmental relationship with the Fine Art department means we welcome student whose practice and approaches fall in-between, or outside of, or crossover, conventional and/or traditional labels and contexts for Theatre, Performance and the Live Arts.

Our programme is run by a team of leading-edge interdisciplinary academics and artists, who also teach on the BA Theatre and Performing Arts MPhil/PhD programmes. We work very closely with a wide range of established artists and performance collectives – both members of Faculty and Associate Artists – who recognise the unique contribution Chichester makes to supporting new theatre and performance work. Your own new work will be stimulated by a continuous programme of professional performances from a wide range of international artists, many of whom support the work of the department through teaching and mentoring.

On this course you will: 

• Join a vibrant and connected environment and community for making contemporary theatre and performance.

• Have mentoring opportunities by international theatre and performance artists.

• Have opportunities to present your work in our ShowRoom Theatre or fully-equipped smaller studios.
  Have opportunities to present work at national events, platforms and festivals.

• Benefit from department relationships with venues and festivals in Brighton, London, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, and Edinburgh.

• Be encouraged to present your work in venues and platforms throughout your studies.