The Creative Academy turned 21 this month, having launched in 2003 as part of the Heart of Slough redevelopment, where its remit was to create training opportunities. The Creative Academy is a unique not for profit partnership between Slough Borough Council and The University of West London, allowing the organisations to re-invest all funds into the programmes to enhance the student experience.

Offering a BA (Hons) Dance and BA (Hons) Musical Theatre Performance in partnership with the University of West London, graduates have gone on to successful performing arts careers in choreography, performing and teaching including cruise ships, theatre and film including dancing for Rita Ora, Sean Paul, Jay Sean, X-Factor, VMAs and The Brit Awards. 

Creative Academy’s professional performing arts programmes have high contact hours and small classes to ensure maximum impact in the creative industries. The team works locally with RIFCO Arts, Slough Music Service, Slough Council for Voluntary Services, Resource Productions, SWIPE and Together As One, and has featured on TV shows Britain’s Got Talent, Got To Dance and Strictly Come Dancing.

Currently you can see Creative Academy’s 2019 graduate Tasha Ghouri competing on Strictly Come Dancing with partner Aijaz Skorjanec, this week scoring the first 40 of the season. Their 2015 graduate Georgia Bradshaw has recently finished a West End run of Sunset Boulevard with Nicole Scherzinger and Joshua Pilmore who graduated in 2014 choreographed Rina Sawayama’s USA tour last year. 

Their 2017 graduate Molly Southall is launching a fully funded further education performing arts school called Prodigy College of Performing Arts in Slough, in September 2025, providing a real opportunity to support local talent to achieve.  

The Creative Academy runs several other local projects to increase dance participation including a partnership, Prodigy Dance Studios prodigydancestudios@gmail.com offering acro, ballet and musical theatre, and the Inspire programme with Slough Schools Sports Network & Windsor Sport Network which delivers dance to all local primary and secondary schools. Alongside their spiral dance programme which offers adults with learning difficulties the opportunity to dance weekly in the purpose-built studios at The Creative Hub, Stoke Poges Lane.  

Plans for the next five years include developing a creative industries support programme, creation space and developing their MUGA (multi use games area) into a performing arts and sports space. The newest programme ‘The Academy’ sees local young creatives curating fortnightly events to showcase their work within their newly refurbished dance studio. 

George Kirkham, Creative Academy Principal, said: “The Creative Academy has worked with thousands of local people, over the past 21 years, to create performance, employment, and further training opportunities. We are very excited to see what the next 21 years brings, and we are very proud of all of the creative individuals we have supported to achieve their dreams and aspirations.” 

Cllr Puja Bedi, lead member for education and children’s services, said: “We are extremely proud of The Creative Academy, and would like to wish all students and staff a happy 21st Birthday. Over the years Creative Academy’s students have gone onto some amazing careers and we can’t wait to see what the academy and its students achieve next!”

To learn more about The Creative Academy visit: https://creativeacademy.org/