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    Access All Areas’ “Performance Making Diploma”, at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, has become known as one of the world’s leading courses for and by learning disabled and autistic creatives.

    Students work with celebrated theatre and TV professionals to learn performance skills, create scripts and performances, and prepare for different career options in the arts and media. All classes are co-led by professional learning disabled and/or autistic creatives.

    Applications are now closed for this year’s Performance Making Diploma.

    Watch this space to be the first to know when the next recruitment period is.

    Details on the course

    Who is it for?

    Learning disabled and/or autistic people aged 18+ with previous drama experience.

    When does it happen?
    • The Diploma is a part-time, two-year course. It runs from October 2o23 to July 2025.
    • Students will attend classes two days per week, along with intensive weeks at Easter and in the summer.

    Where is it?

    Most classes are at

    The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
    Eton Avenue
    London
    NW3 3HY

    How much does it cost?

    The course is free.

    What might happen after graduation?

    74% of diploma graduates have gone into paid work in the creative industries.

    Access All Areas offers advice to students to help them transition to work or other projects at the end of the course.

    The diploma offered us tutors from all different professional backgrounds, leading masterclasses in voice, movement, writing for TV as well as masterclasses taught by disabled theatre makers in the industry. This gave us an idea of the work we could do when leaving the course and taught us that learning disabled, and autistic people can thrive in those industries.
    Luke Fox, Associate Artist
    “Everyone was included and accepted for who they are. I came across live art for the first time, and was constantly developing skills like workshop leading, devising, working with scripts and reflecting on my practice.”
    Yasemin, 2021 graduate
    “I have loved every single minute of the course. It has done my confidence the world of good! My highlight was getting to play Lenny from Of Mice And Men – I always wanted to try that role.”
    Henry, 2021 graduate
    The power to change theatre.
    Lyn Gardner for The Guardian

    Meet some of the graduates

    Winner of the Guardian University Award for Student Diversity and Widening Participation.