Click here to read the article that appeared in 'The Stage' on 26 August 2010.

Nurturing new talent

WAC college in north London provides essential opportunities for youngsters from disadvantages backgrounds.  Course coordinator Steve Medlin speaks to Susan Elkin about the work the college does and the challenges it faces... 

Click to read the article that appears in The Stage newspaper on 29 July 2010.

Training focuses on global art forms

WAC Performing Arts and Media College was founded in 1978 and is based in a Lottery-funded, purpose-built arts and media centre in Belsize Park, London.  It is offering a three-year professional diploma in musical theatre...

WAC Performing Arts and Media College which achieved the London Youth AQYP Gold Quality mark in 2008 is pleased to announce that it is now also designated as a Centre of Excellence.

Join the Community Choir, a fab new Film Society, the Making Beautiful Music group or Catch Up with Technology sessions!

InterChange is pleased to announce a range of brand new pastimes especially designed for adults. With a long track record of providing exciting arts activities, InterChange is now offering tailor-made sessions for adults in the local community. Starting the last week in February, these learning opportunities run in the evenings and on Saturday afternoons so there’s bound to be something for everyone!

The Community Choir runs every Monday evening. Singing a repertoire of contemporary songs from 70s soul to 90s pop! The Film Society organises regular screenings on Tuesday evenings at 7pm. Films include world cinema, documentaries and ‘must see’ movies, followed by discussion with refreshments available.

Making Beautiful Music runs on Saturday afternoons and offers a chance to be part of a band! No experience is necessary and the group explores a range of musical styles. Catch up with Technology – enhancing family life will help make the most of all your home technology, from uploading holiday snaps to using the internet and managing your music, held on Saturdays at 1.45pm.

The activities are all free to attend and are part of Camden’s new Learning Revolution, Transformation Fund scheme. Find out more on 020 7692 5800 or info@interchange.org.uk .

Are you a Director, Owner or Senior Manager with responsibility for the survival and future of your organisation in these changing and demanding times? If so then help is at hand – you can get funded support from our experts to help you  grow your organisation.   Click here to learn how to draw down the fundng.

In our Hampstead Centre we have various office layouts to let:

Single Units from 225 to 350 square feet – [suit 1- 4 people]

Larger spaces and suites from 500 to 900 square feet

Great location close to amenities and Belsize Park tube station.
Our centre offers an in house catering facility, a range of rooms for rent [meeting rooms to dance studios and function rooms], manned reception and a range of business support services in house. All units include utility costs.

Prices from £5,000 per annum – please enquire as to current availability

Call 020 7692 5800 or email ken@interchange.org.uk for more details and a viewing.

ACTOR Richard Wilson enjoyed a show by members of the Weekend Arts College (WAC) so much he has agreed to give budding thespians a masterclass, the New Journal can reveal.

From passages from Othello to the latest in street dance moves, the One Foot In The Grave star helped celebrate the 30th birthday of a ground- breaking performing arts charity with a show that used all the talent of the participants.

Read the full article

WAC presents their 30 year anniversary celebrations. An entire showcase of WAC talent including drama, dance and music.

13th & 14th December 2008
7:00pm

Ticket prices: £10 (including complimentary drink and food)
£5 (performance only)

Here at Hampstead Town Hall Centre
InterChange Studios, Hampstead Town Hall Centre,
213 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QP.

For more information and ticket bookings call:
020 7692 5838 or email 30years@wac.co.uk

Please note there are limited seat numbers so make sure to book your tickets now!

Monday 18 August 2008

INTERCHANGE TRUST APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Celia Greenwood as the Chief Executive Officer of Interchange Trust. The appointment was made as a result of internal advertisement and interview by the Appointments Committee of the Board of Directors of Interchange Trust and takes effect immediately.

Ms Celia Greenwood has a long and distinguished career at Interchange Trust and has held the leadership role at WAC Performing Arts and Media College since it began. She has been primarily responsible for WAC Performing Arts & Media College gaining the prestigious accreditation to offer BA level courses in Drama, Dance and Vocals.

She was educated at the Central School of Speech and Drama, at the Institute of Education of the University of London, and at the Middlesex University, and held drama teaching posts prior to becoming a founder of WAC, a department of Interchange Trust. As a member of the Chief Executive Team of Interchange Trust since 2007 she has gained invaluable experience and insight into management responsibilities of the organisation and has helped to steer it through a challenging period of restructuring and change.

I have confidence that Ms Greenwood will, with the management team and all the staff, further develop Interchange Trust as a valuable educational, cultural and community organisation serving the people of London.

Peter Kysel
Chair of the Board of Directors
On behalf of Interchange Trust

FURTHER INFORMATION & ENQUIRIES

Celia Greenwood
Tel: 020 7692 5870
Email: celia@wac.co.uk

Crucial fundraising drive underway for newly accredited Musical Theatre course at WAC

WAC Performing Arts and Media College has been acknowledged as providing the highest quality performing arts training with equal status for non-western art forms. Following a two day assessment last month, Trinity College made the recommendation to validate the Level 6 (degree equivalent) National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre at WAC. Second year student Maya Thompson said, “It doesn’t change the training, which has always been fantastic, but it hopefully means the course can continue for future students ... and I will get a degree too - that recognition means a lot to me.”

Achieving these exacting standards puts WAC and Black and Minority Ethnic art forms on a par with traditional conservatoires. However this does not guarantee the future of the course or its current students. To develop the course to this level, WAC has already raised over £1/2 million.

With validation, WAC will be fighting hard to access Dance and Drama awards, but these are offered on a three year funding cycle so won’t be available until September 2009. If the course is to continue we need to raise £150k for the next academic year with very little time available. WAC Director Celia Greenwood said, “Staff and students here have been striving for five years to reach this achievement and it would be a tragedy if we had to close just as we achieve recognition.”

A fundraising campaign is underway but without £50k in place by the end of September accreditation will have been for nothing. Current 1st and 2nd year students will be unable to complete a professional training. Greenwood added “Small amounts of money will make a big difference to us.  For example £120 will pay for a masterclass and £5,000 will put a student through the programme for a year. We have been delighted with the response so far with two local residents sponsoring students for next year.”

Recent graduates have quickly obtained professional work. They are performing in ‘The Frontline’ next week at the Globe Theatre, at the Royal Court Theatre, the Theatre Royal Stratford East, and with Impact Dance and Boy Blue. One has the lead role in a British feature film and two have recording deals.

If the campaign is successful, the WAC Conservatoire for Contemporary and Non-Western Musical Theatre will open in October and begin the next phase of training diverse artists for the future. Please see our website to donate: www.wac.co.uk

ENDS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

WAC Performing Arts and Media College
Hampstead Town Hall Centre
213 Haverstock Hill
London NW3 4QP

Contact Details - for more information, please contact:

Celia Greenwood
WAC Director
Tel: 020 7692 5870
07 752 959 772
celia@wac.co.uk

Steve Medlin
Senior WAC Coordinator
Tel: 020 7692 5872
steve@wac.co.uk

www.wac.co.uk

The Boards’ of three local charitable organisations based at Hampstead Town Hall Centre have recently merged.  InterChange Trust, The Hamden Trust and the WAC Performing Arts and Media College have all come together to form a more cohesive organisation.

Over the last year, the Board of Trustees have taken steps to make the three organisations fully equipped to respond to future challenges and opportunities in their tasks in education and provision of performing arts, and in offering services to charities and the local community.
 
Accordingly the membership of the Boards of the three Trust Companies has been strengthened by electing Trustees from the local community who also bring wider professional expertise to respond to increasing challenges faced by the voluntary sector in the UK.  17 new Trustees have been elected and 6 members have retired from the boards.
 
In April 2008 the Board of Directors of the three organisations successfully merged. The merged Board has established its democratic principles by a contested election on June 9th 2008 for its Chair. The united Board has now been formed.  The changes have taken place in full consultation and with the full support of the management team and the staff.
 
Peter Kysel, director since July 2007, has been elected as the Chair of ICT, HT and WAC. He is a local resident for 35 years. He has worked in international commercial environments in positions of formulating strategy, supervising its execution, corporate governance and dealing with external parties including regulators, public, politicians and media. He also advised public bodies and transnational agencies. He also has a track record in forming a successful charity for multinational cultural links.
 
On his election Mr. Kysel stated: “ICT, HT and WAC are in a process of a positive transformation, with a great opportunity to turn our organisations into an exciting and nationally respected cultural institution with a unique mission.  We now have a united, democratic, responsive and above all experienced board willing to contribute. Our task now is to build on our resources - our strong management team, our landmark building at Hampstead Town Hall Centre, and our relations with the local community. “
 
ENDS

ICT is ……….. HT is…….. WAC
Hampstead Town Hall Centre
213 Haverstock Hill
London NW3 4QP

Date: 01 July 2008

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:
Peter Kysel
Tel: 020 7435 3561
Email: peter_kysel@yahoo.co.uk

Celia Greenwood
Tel: 020 7692 5888
Email: celia@wac.co.uk

Taken from the Ham&High (Hampstead & Highgate Express) 10 April 2008. Written by Marc Mullen.

'Outstanding' arts project forced to close it's doors.

Hundreds of disadvantaged youngsters have been left without vital support after Camden Council refused funding for an arts project at Hampstead Town Hall. Holiday programmes for children with criminal problems or drug or alcohol issues have been run from the Haverstock Hill venue for 20 years. But last week the council told WAC, which runs the courses, that it would not be granting the £30,000 needed to integrate the children into mainstream courses. Last summer 500 vulnerable youngsters took part in the Camden Summer University (CSU) and other activities.
"Last year the OFSTED inspection said the quality of our provision was outstanding and we have never had an empty place on any of our courses. We always have a waiting list," said Celia Greenwood, acting joint chief executive of WAC. "When these youths don't have their peers around them they have the chance to reinvent themselves. But this summer they won't have that chance and will be bored and end up just hanging around. This is not about who got funding and who didn't. It is about the provision of activities across Camden for our young people."

The WAC courses put youths through mainstream courses in dance, music and video, giving them the chance to achieve a qualification from the Oxford School of Coaching and Mentoring.

Leon Dores, 22, first attended a WAC summer course 15 years ago and now teaches music to youngsters at the town hall venue. He said: "The programme is mainly aimed at young people who are struggling with their schooling. The aim is to get them back on track and help them through to a qualification. It was great for me. It gave me a reason to get up for something positive and gave me something to strive for. Now helping others is very rewarding for me, helping to try to change people for the better."

Last year the council changed the way it funds programmes. Instead of receiving financing in three-year blocks, programmes are commissioned each year. The council has given out £450,000 for youth activity in the voluntary sector, but says it received applications from 22 groups for a total of £937,631.

A council spokesman said: "It's always extremely difficult deciding which groups receive funding and how much each group receives. This has become increasingly difficult due to the national drive for increased accountability in youth services - there are numerous national criteria which projects have to meet to be eligible for the money."

The Winchester Project on Winchester Road (known as the Winch), which targets children with similar backgrounds, will receive funding for its sports programme this year - after it was slashed 12 months ago.

Lisa Barnes, the Winch project director said: "I have a great deal of sympathy for WAC. Previously funding was for three years, which meant you could plan and maintain your projects. Now you are funded year-to-year and finding out this late means you can only kick-start the summer programme now. The voluntary sector is finding it very difficult in the current climate."