Adolescence studios handed degree course powers

4 hours ago

Johnny ReedYorkshire

News image — The studios has welcomed some of the world's biggest music acts and is where Netflix's Adolescence and singing show The Voice were filmed

Production Park A drone shot of Production Park, a large industrial-like area. — The studios has welcomed some of the world's biggest music acts and is where Netflix's Adolescence and singing show The Voice were filmed

A creative production centre where Netflix hit Adolescence was filmed has been given "game-changing" powers to run its own degree courses.

Production Park in South Kirkby near Wakefield was home to the award-winning drama, and has provided rehearsal space to global superstars such as Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Coldplay as they prepared for world tours.

Powers granted by education regulator the Office for Students will allow the centre to take ownership of courses, previously run by the University of Greater Manchester.

Founder Adrian Brooks said: "Everything moves fast in our industry - we need to be developing courses to keep up with that."

Studio 1 at Production Park is Europe's first arena-sized rehearsal studio, built in 2005.

Meanwhile, Studio 5 saw Adolescence crews build key sets, including the police station and young offenders institute seen in the gritty four-part series.

TV talent show The Voice is also filmed at Production Park.

Johnny Reed/BBC A woman with short brown hair wearing a green jumper stands alongside an older bald man with glasses, wearing a white shirt. They are against a purple backdrop with handwriting across it. — Rachel Nicholson, Head of Institution at the Academy of Live Technology, alongside Production Park founder Adrian Brooks

The in-house Academy of Live Technology was launched in 2011 and offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as short courses and bespoke training programmes.

Rachel Nicholson, Head of Institution at the academy, said: "Being able to be independent means we can design our courses to the way the industry works.

"Also, we can practise what we preach; that the best education should be embedded in the industry."

Jasmine James, a third-year student studying live visual design and production at the park, said: "All your big studios are usually down south in London or in Manchester.

"There's nothing really in Yorkshire, so to have courses like this up north is brilliant."

Johnny Reed/BBC Jasmine James, with long curly hair and a black T-shirt, stands against an indoor metal fence with wires in the background. — Student Jasmine James said it was "brilliant" to have creative courses available in the North

Nick Gunby, who is in his second year studying the same course, said he thought the centre's powers to run its own courses would be of huge benefit to the industry.

He said: "There's loads of different routes for people to go down now and these degrees can help you walk straight into the industry and get a foot in the door."

The creative sector generates about 48,000 jobs and contributes £2.3bn to the region's economy, according to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

In September, regional leaders approved a first-ever Creative Industries Cluster Action Plan with the aim of increasing that total to £4.1bn by 2035.

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