Case Study:

The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru) in Cathays Park, Cardiff, is a conservatoire with alumni including Anthony Hopkins, Rob Brydon, Dougray Scott, and Aneurin Barnard. It was the first and is one of only two All-Steinway conservatoires in the UK.

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama has 550 students during any given academic year, all of which are benefiting from the accessibility work Direct Access has been undertaking with the College, part of the University of South Wales. The BBC National Orchestra, the College and Direct Access are working together to improve access for young disabled people looking to develop a career in music.

Using Part M Building Regulations (as approved by the Welsh Government) and British Standards BS 8300 Access to and Use of Buildings, Direct Access’ NRAC certified Access Consultants have benchmarked the three theatres: the Richard Burton Theatre, the Bute Theatre, and the Caird Studio, as well as the Dora Stoutzker Concert Hall for disability access.

The College has been ranked as the top institution in the UK for drama training three times in the last four years by the Guardian University Guide. RWCMD provides specialist training within performance, technical theatre and design, in an environment reflecting the professional industry.

A £22.5m expansion of the college was opened in 2011, including two new performance venues (Richard Burton Theatre and Dora Stoutzker Hall), a new front of house area and rehearsal studios.

In 2010, as part of the college’s 60th anniversary celebrations, students from the College performed in a gala concert at Buckingham Palace, attended by the college’s Patron the Prince of Wales. A second gala evening was presented at Buckingham Palace in 2016 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the college’s new facilities.