The government has earmarked £7 million to establish the country's first ever National Skills Academy for the live sector. The Academy, run by the government sponsored body Creative & Cultural Skills, will work with key players in the live entertainments industry, including Live Nation, Academy Music Group, the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, to offer a range of training to those who aspire to work in the live entertainments sector. Some of those companies supporting the initiative will be expected to also provide some funding - the total cost of the scheme is expected to exceed £10 million. CCSkills will now submit a detailed business plan to the government in order to release the pledged funds.
Confirming the government's commitment to the scheme, Tony Hall, chairman of CCSkills and CEO of London's Royal Opera House, told reporters: "The Academy's vision is to attract and train the best performance technicians in the country, ready for careers on the best stages in the world. The announcement today by the Secretary Of State For Education And Skills allows us to press on with drawing up detailed plans for this exciting project. We need to secure up to £4 million from industry sources to help support the development. Government will provide over £7 million for the capital build, with some revenue funding supporting learners. Given the pressing skills shortages now resulting from the very healthy growth of live entertainment in recent years, I'm confident the industry will see that supporting the Academy financially is directly in their interests."
EMI Group boss Eric Nicoli, who is also Chairman of the UK Music Skills Advisory Panel, added: "We all recognise the important economic and cultural contribution that live music and the performing arts make. The Academy will help to plug the skills gaps that currently exist and build a platform to ensure a bright future for these vibrant sectors."
UK Culture Minister David Lammy also welcomed the news, telling reporters: "This is terrific news for Britain's performing arts and music industries. It shows what can be done when committed employers get together to harness the skills of the next generation. The success of this project will help match the world class talent on stage with the very best technical and business skills backstage."