Level 3 Extended Diploma in Production Arts (Design), Viki East with her winning stage design.
A student from Stratford-upon-Avon College has recently won The Royal Opera House’s AIDA Design Challenge.
Viki East, a student on the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Production Arts (Design), won the ‘Stage Design’ category of The Royal Opera House’s AIDA Design Challenge last month. Students from the College entered four design challenge categories: Stage Design, Costume Design, Poster and Online Educational Content. On 17th March, all of the students who entered the competition attended the Matinee performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida at The Royal Opera House and their submissions were exhibited in the foyer of the venue and the winners were announced.
Viki, along with the other winners, has been invited to spend a day at The Royal Opera House working alongside a key member of staff. She will have the opportunity to meet Royal Opera House staff, particularly those relevant to her winning category and visit backstage areas. She is very excited about winning the competition and said, “I am really looking forward to spending the day at the Royal Opera House. I hope to get a real feel for what happens backstage.”
Viki is a mature student who has two children. She commented, “I started my career as a nanny and teaching assistant. I have always loved being creative and designing things. I used to work on my children’s school play sets and loved every minute of it. Last September I decided to do something about it and get a design qualification. Stratford-upon-Avon College is perfect for me as it is my local college and they run the Production Arts (Design) course that I wanted.”
Judy Hill, Lecturer in Production Arts said, “Viki thoroughly enjoyed producing a stage design for AIDA. She is a hardworking and creative student who totally deserved to win a prize. I am sure that she will benefit enormously from a day’s work experience at The Royal Opera House.”
Over twenty students from the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Production Arts (Design) entered the challenge which gave the students the opportunity to test and develop their marketing, production and design skills. The competition was exclusive to Founder Colleges of National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural, of which Stratford-upon-Avon College is one.
If you would like more information, please contact marketing@stratford.ac.uk|.
Posted on Friday 15th April 2011