Access Creative College Explained

Access Creative College
Established:[1]
Principal:Birmingham - Simon Nobbs
Bristol - Jon Domaille
Lincoln - Daniel Swinburne
London - TBC
Manchester - Mark Acton
Norwich - Dan Foden
Plymouth - Matthew Mills

Access Creative College, formerly Access to Music Ltd, is a UK-based independent training provider which specialises in industry-focused popular music and creative education. It operates across England with dedicated music colleges in Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Lincoln, London, Manchester, Norwich, and Plymouth. ACC's head office is in Manchester.

Access Creative College was funded by the Education Funding Authority (EFA) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA)[2] and worked in partnership with other UK educational institutions, including Birmingham City University (BCU)[3] [4] and the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM).[5]

History

Access to Music was founded in 1992[6] by John Ridgeon to promote and improve popular music education in the UK. The first Access to Music head office was in Leicester. The music school formed a partnership with Leicester College followed by partnerships with regional colleges.

The second Access to Music centre opened in Bristol in 1999 and the York and London branches opened in 2002. The first Access to Music award ceremony, hosted by Sir George Martin, took place in London in 2003. Subsequent award ceremonies took place in various locations around the country, including O2 Academy Birmingham and Liverpool Sound City, and have been hosted by BBC Radio DJs Lauren Laverne and Edith Bowman.[7] [8] The music college expanded to Brighton and Lincoln in 2004 with centres opening in both cities.

In 2009, Access to Music was acquired by Armstrong Learning, a Manchester-based education and training provider. In 2011, the head office re-located from Leicester to Birmingham,[9] with an administrative centre established in Manchester. In 2011, Access to Music launched a new centre in Darlington based at The Forum Music Centre which later closed.[10] In 2013, the college in Norwich moved from its King Street location to Epic Studios.[11]

The York centre created and organised Access to Music's first trade fair at York St John University in early April 2014 [12] and Access to Music presented a Masterclass at the first Brighton Music Conference, an electronic music event.[13] In the summer of 2014 plans were finalised for a new centre in Manchester, opening in early October. The centre was situated in the basement of the St. James's Buildings on Oxford Street, the former location of the music venues Jilly's Rockworld and Music Box.[14] [15] [16]

In September 2017, Access to Music released its 2018 further education prospectus[17] under a new brand name of Access Creative College. It updated its website[18] shortly afterwards. The name change was introduced to reflect a broader curriculum offer covering the wider creative industries, including games development, digital media, marketing, events and drama.

In February 2020, Access Creative College launched a new joint venture partnership with South Essex College to take over the delivery of apprenticeship training for the creative industries on a national basis, under the National College Creative Industries brand.

Courses and accreditations

Access Creative College offers courses in the following pathways: Music, Media, Games, Esports, Computing and Access to HE. The courses at both Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE) levels.

The college designed its own FE music curriculum in partnership with Rockschool, the UK's only rock and pop accrediting body and Edexcel. The HE curriculum was designed in conjunction with RNCM and BCU.

ACC run their Higher Education provision in partnership with dBs and NTU

ACC, in partnership with National College for the Creative Industries (NCCI), also offers apprenticeships in creative subjects.

Notable alumni

Event Participation

Access Creative College has appeared or participated in the following events:

Education partners

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ward . Martin . Inspection of Access to Music Limited . Ofsted . 24 May 2023 . 2022.
  2. Web site: Skills Funding Agency . Register of Training Organisations - July 2012 v3 . Skills Funding Agency . 1 May 2014 .
  3. Web site: Birmingham City University. Popular Music - BMus. Birmingham City University. 1 May 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140403103050/http://bcu.ac.uk/courses/popular-music-performance. 3 April 2014. dead. dmy-all.
  4. Web site: Birmingham City University. Music Business - BA (Hons). Birmingham City University. 1 May 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140403103946/http://bcu.ac.uk/courses/music-business#. 2014-04-03. dead.
  5. Web site: Royal Northern College of Music . Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Popular Music Performance . Royal Northern College of Music . 1 May 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140718145037/http://www.rncm.ac.uk/study-here/what-you-can-study/undergraduate/bachelor-of-arts-hons-popular-music-performance/ . 18 July 2014 .
  6. Web site: PRS for Music. School of Rock. PRS for Music. 2014-05-02. https://archive.today/20140609102546/https://www.prsformusic.com/creators/news/mmagazine/M22/rockschool/Pages/rockschool.aspx#. 2014-06-09. dead.
  7. Web site: B-Side Project. Events. B-Side Project. 2 May 2014.
  8. Web site: Liverpool Live . Liverpool Sound City and Echo Arena to host UK Music Student Awards . Liverpool Live . 21 May 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010224356/http://liverpool-live.info/music/2331-liverpool-sound-city-and-echo-arena-to-host-uk-music-student-awards . 10 October 2014 .
  9. Web site: Parker . Catherine . Heath Mill Studios Music Training Centre Launched . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714144254/http://www.pabnews.com/10841/heath-mill-studios-music-training-centre-launched/ . 14 July 2014 . 27 March 2014 . PAB news . dmy-all.
  10. News: The Northern Echo. The Forum, in Darlington, reveals plans for expansion. 22 May 2014. The Northern Echo. 29 Jan 2014.
  11. News: Freezer. David. Access to Music set for full move to Epic Studios in Norwich. 22 May 2014. EDP24. 13 Aug 2013.
  12. News: The York Press. Access To Music take part in Expo event. 22 May 2014. The York Press. 3 Apr 2014.
  13. Web site: Brighton Music Conference . Saturday - 10.30-11.15 - 'Access to Music Masterclass' with Jimmy Day . Brighton Music Conference . 1 May 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140309071100/http://www.brightonmusicconference.co.uk/exhibition-talks/saturday-master-class-and-showcase-timetable/94-saturday-10-30-11-15-access-to-music-masterclass-with-jimmy-day . 9 March 2014 .
  14. News: Graham. James. Music school to open at ex-Rockworld site. 6 August 2014. TheBusinessDesk.com. 4 August 2014.
  15. News: Insider News North West. Music college for former Jilly's Rockworld site. 6 August 2014. Insider Media Limited. 5 August 2014.
  16. News: MPA. Manchester's creative scene set for musical revival with major new academic centre. 6 August 2014. MPA.
  17. News: Access Prospectus 2018. issuu. 2017-12-20. en.
  18. Web site: Access Creative College Media Games Design Music Education. Access Creative College - the new name for Access to Music. en-GB. 2017-12-20.
  19. Web site: Knights. Emma. Access to Music students get set for an acoustic talent showcase in Norwich. EDP24. 30 April 2014.
  20. Web site: Student Success Stories. Access to Music. Access to Music. 12 August 2015. 1 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170901233818/http://www.accesstomusic.co.uk/success-stories. live.
  21. Web site: Annalisa. Music students ride road to success. Guestlist. 30 April 2014.
  22. Web site: BBC Music Introducing - East Midlands - Alessi Rose, Mason Tonks, Lydia Grace - BBC Sounds . 2024-07-07 . www.bbc.co.uk . en-GB.
  23. Web site: Barker . Coquet . Yau. Matt . Nick . Matthew. New In Town: November. 27 October 2011 . The Brighton Source. 21 May 2014.
  24. Web site: Kidz Field. Kidz Field Line Up 2013. Kidz Field. 22 May 2014.
  25. Web site: Culture Works East. Latitude Festival Arts Award Programme 2013. Culture Works East. 21 May 2014.
  26. Web site: The Great Escape Festival. Alternative Escape Programme - Thursday. The Great Escape Festival. 20 May 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150618104452/http://greatescapefestival.com/alternative-escape-programme-thursday/. 18 June 2015. dead.

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