National Institute of Dramatic Art

National Institute of
Dramatic Art

Established	1958
Location	Kensington , New South Wales , Australia 33.9158°S 151.2252°E / -33.9158; 151.2252
Campus	Urban
Website	www.nida.edu.au

The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is an Australian national education and training institute for students in the performing arts. Since 1958, NIDA has educated students in performance and production for theatre, film, and television, and today offers programs ranging from degrees to public short courses, including holiday programs and corporate training.

NIDA is recognised for the centre’s world-class approach to dramatic arts education and practical training philosophy. This hands-on focus has laid solid foundations for NIDA’s sought-after graduates who are currently working on stage, on screen and behind the scenes all over the world. In 2013, NIDA was ranked as the 8th best drama school in the world by The Hollywood Reporter.

NIDA's main campus is based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington, located adjacent to the University of New South Wales, and is made up of a range of rehearsal and performance venues.

NIDA recieves funding from the Australian Government through the Minister for the Arts (Australia), Attorney-General's Department and is a member of the "Australian Roundtable for Arts Training Excellence (Arts8):" an initiative between the national performing arts training organisations and the Australian Government committed to providing unique and high-level training for emerging artists.

History

Founded in 1958, NIDA commenced acting classes in 1959. More than 50 years later, NIDA has grown to approximately 170 full-time students annually, approximately 70 full-time staff members and added courses in costume, design, directing, make-up, musical theatre, production, properties, staging and writing for performance.

Admission

Entry to NIDA’s higher education courses is highly competitive, with nearly 1,900 applicants from around the country competing for an annual offering of approximately 75 places across undergraduate and graduate disciplines. The student body for these courses totalled 199 in 2014.

Graduates from NIDA’s full-time courses have gone on to national and international success.

Campus

The National Institute of Dramatic Art complex

NIDA is located on Anzac Parade in the Sydney suburb of Kensington, across the road from the University of New South Wales. The campus was first opened in 1987, followed by additional buildings opened in 2001, which were awarded the 2002 Sir John Sulman Medal for public architecture.

Theatres

NIDA has five theatres. The largest of these is the Parade Theatre offering seating for audiences of up to 707 people in its three-tiered, horseshoe-shaped auditorium. The Playhouse, Studio Theatre, the Space and the Atrium offer a variety of flexible performance spaces.

Library

The Rodney Seaborn Library is a specialist library for NIDA students, graduates and staff and is also open to the general public by appointment. Created in 1980, the Rodney Seaborn Library is now one of Australia’s leading performing arts-based libraries.

The NIDA Archives collects, organises and preserves archival records created by or relating to NIDA. As a valuable resource for research, teaching and education, the Archives supports NIDA’s role as Australia’s leading national educator in the dramatic arts.

Other facilities

The NIDA campus includes, rehearsal rooms, multi-media and computer-aided design (CAD) studios, a sound stage, a lighting studio, fully equipped production workshops, the latest in audio-visual facilities, and the Reg Grundy Studio film and television training and production facility.

Courses

The National Institute of Dramatic Art complex with interior neon lights

For those wanting to start a career in the creative arts, NIDA offers full-time fully-accredited bachelor degrees in Acting, Costume, Design for Performance, Properties and Objects (props), Staging, and Technical Theatre and Stage Management, masters degrees in Directing and Writing for Performance and diploma courses in Musical Theatre, Live Production and Technical Services and Specialist Make-up Services.

NIDA also makes training available to the public with term classes, short courses, school-holiday programs, evening and weekend classes. The NIDA Open programs are designed for children, young people and adults and NIDA also runs Corporate presentation workshops for business professionals.

NIDA’s vibrant schools program allows teachers and schools across Australia to access the centre’s educational expertise and training philosophy through customised workshops and professional development programs.

Student productions

National Institute of Dramatic Art theatre

At the heart of NIDA’s higher education courses is the Production Program, an annual program of productions that immerse students in the professional processes of creating, performing and staging work.

Throughout the program students from the different disciplines:

• study classical and contemporary texts and various performance styles and settings
• work with industry professionals on live productions, site-specific events and exhibitions
• showcase their work and talents to industry leaders and public audiences
• work in teams to deliver performances and activities to professional industry standards with the highest production values
• are mentored by accomplished teachers, artists and practitioners from Australia and around the world.

Alumni

See also: Category:People educated at the National Institute of Dramatic Art

Graduates from the National Institute of Dramatic Art include:

Acting

• Cate Blanchett
• Grant Bowler
• Tom Burlinson
• Thomas Cocquerel
• Essie Davis
• Judy Davis
• Colin Friels
• Mel Gibson AO
• Remy Hii
• Joel Jackson
• Matthew Le Nevez
• Baz Luhrmann
• Jessica Marais
• Catherine McClements
• Jacqueline McKenzie
• Greg McLean
• Robyn Nevin
• Miranda Otto
• Susie Porter
• Philip Quast
• Richard Roxburgh
• Toby Schmitz
• Shari Sebbens
• Hugh Sheridan
• Sarah Snook
• Miranda Tapsell
• Hugo Weaving
• Sam Worthington
• Meyne Wyatt

Design

• Alice Babidge, designer Opera Australia
• Dale Ferguson
• Catherine Martin
• Renee Mulder
• Ralph Myers, artistic director Belvoir St Theatre
• Michael Scott-Mitchell, designer 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
• Gabriella Tylesova
• Michael Wilkinson, 2014 Academy Award Nominee for American Hustle

Directing

• Adam Cook
• Paul Curran
• Gale Edwards
• Peter Evans
• Sarah Giles
• Leland Kean, artistic director of Tamarama Rock Surfers
• Brendan Moffitt, resident director of New York City Opera
• Tommy Murphy
• Marion Potts, artistic director of Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne
• Kip Williams, resident director of Sydney Theatre Company

External links

• NIDA