The future of Bristol and Bath’s creative industries: A guide to further and higher education
The creative industries are a vital component of the local economy and here at Bristol Creative Industries, we encourage young people to look to the sector for a rewarding and inspiring career. As modern technologies like gaming, VR and AI continue to develop, we need a new generation to take the jobs of the future that the Bristol and Bath economy needs if it is to thrive.
We are committed to supporting young people in their creative careers as demonstrated by the launch of The Talent Network, which gives 17 to 21 year-olds the opportunity to network with creative employers in Bristol. If you are interested in getting involved, email Alli.
For young people in the region wanting to continue their education and improve their employment prospects, there are a wide range of options available. Over the next few months, many colleges, universities and other institutions are running opens days for 2023 entry.
Here’s our updated guide to creative industries-related further and higher education in Bristol and Bath.
A selection of the creative post-16 courses offered by sixth form departments at Bristol schools and academies:
Among the A Levels at Bath Academy are art and media studies.
A Levels on offer at this Bath sixth form include creative design and music,
Bristol Cathedral Choir School
Founded in 1140 as part of what was then Bristol Abbey, Bristol Cathedral Choir School is one of the city’s most popular sixth forms. Among the A Levels offered by the school are art and drama and theatre studies.
The sixth form at Bristol Grammar School offers creative IB Diploma and A Level courses including art, dance, drama and theatre studies, design technology, music and music technology.
The IB Diploma is an alternative to A levels which the school describes as “offering breadth of learning as well as academic rigour”.
Opened in 2016, Bristol Free School offers A Levels alongside selected BTEC Level 3 courses. Creative courses include art, drama and theatre, music and music technology and photography.
Cabot Learning Federation Post 16
The Cabot Learning Federation Post 16 is an independent provision located in two of CLF’s 20 secondary academies; Bristol Brunel and John Cabot. Among the A Levels on offer are art and design, dance, music and photography.
The sixth form at this school offers A Levels in subjects including art and photography, drama and theatre studies and music.
The sixth form at this school offers A Levels including art, design and technology and drama and theatre.
Creative courses on offer at this academy in Withywood are an A Level in photography and vocational courses in art and performing arts.
The North Bristol Post 16 Centre is a collaboration between Cotham and Redland Green Schools. Creative A Levels include art, photography, drama, film studies, drama and theatre studies and media studies.
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School
Located near Bristol Temple Meads, creative A Levels offered by this school are art, film studies, media studies, music, music technology and theatre studies.
Providing education to 10,000 learners across two campuses, Bath College offers a wide range of courses including post-16, apprenticeships, part-time courses, traineeships and degree-level education.
Subjects include art and design, fashion and textiles, fashion business and retail, photography, graphic design, digital production, performing arts and music technology.
As one of the South West’s largest further and higher education colleges, City of Bristol College operates from seven centres across the city. It offers a range of post-16 qualifications including A Levels, Level 2 Diplomas and BTEC Nationals.
For school leavers, several courses relevant to the creative industries are on offer. They include specialist subjects include visual arts and design, photography, fashion, performing arts and creative digital technologies (film and TV production, games design, computer graphics and animation).
The college also offers university-level creative arts and media courses in subjects including film and media production, graphic design and photography.
Facilities for students include fashion studios, film suites and a dark room.
Bristol Technology and Engineering Academy
This academy opened in 2013 and offers a range of A Level and BTEC courses. They include art, design and technology, digital media, drama and theatre studies, film studies, music performance, music technology and photography.
Digitech delivers a specialised curriculum for progression into the creative digital and high tech sectors. Studio schools are small by design and only take 90 students into each year group. The school opened in 2015 and moved into a new purpose-built building in Warmley in November 2016.
For years 12 and 13, Digitech offers courses in partnership with boomsatsuma (see below), Bristol School of Acting and Robins Foundation. They include digital media production, games/VR/FX, films and television, Esport, sports media, professional acting and dance. Training takes place at key venues including Engine Shed, Bottle Yard Studios and Ashton Gate Stadium.
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
This college has six campuses including the Bristol School of Art located at Royal West of England Academy.
The college has a very extensive programme of Level 2 and 3 courses including computer games design, film and TV production, music technology and technical theatre.
At university level, the college offers a range of subjects as Foundation degrees, many of which also offer the opportunity to top up to a full Bachelor’s degree by adding a year. Creative courses include game production, make-up design, live events production, prosthetics, modelmaking and digital design, computer games design and sports media.
This September, the college is offering the new T-Levels. The two-year technical courses are equivalent to three A Levels and include a 45-day work placement. Courses include a T-Level in digital production, design and development.
St Brendan’s Sixth Form College
This college provides a diverse range of over 60 different A-level and Level 3 Applied General courses to 16 – 18 year olds. Courses include media studies, music, music performance, music technology, textile design and graphic communication.
Boasting ex-students including Ed Sheeran, Jess Glynne, Rita Ora and JP Cooper, Bristol Creative Industries member Access Creative College is a national college for young people looking for a career in the creative industries. It offers college courses in subjects including games, music, media, graphic design, videography and events production.
The college’s foundation degree courses cover audio and music technology and music performance. Access also runs dBs Institute, a higher education provider that offers degrees in sound and digital technologies.
In summer 2021, Access Creative College opened a new £5m games and media campus in Bristol city centre. It’s on the site of the former Bristol Bierkeller, host to Nirvana’s first ever UK gig, Slipknot, The Stone Roses and Arctic Monkeys. Facilities include a games lab, green screen studio, music tech suites, digital recording studio and band rehearsal studio.
Access Creative College has also teamed up with Condense and LocalGlobe to offer Bristol students a fully funded Metaverse Development Scholarship.
Bristol Creative Industries member boomsatsuma is a specialist creative industries training provider. Using a decentralised model, courses take place in relevant professional environments in the city such as Engine Shed, Ashton Gate Stadium and Tobacco Factory.
boomsatsuma provides Level 3 Extended Diplomas, that are equivalent to 3 A Levels, as well as BA (Hons) and BSC (Hons) degrees. Courses include games, web development, visual effects, film and TV, photography and sports media.
The organisation works with partners including [email protected], The Bottle Yard Studios, PYTCH and the Royal Photographic Society to deliver training that targets creative industries’ skills gaps.
As a registered charity, Creative Youth Network supports young people to reach their potential and enjoy fulfilling lives. It offers free courses in youth clubs across the city. Subjects include art and design, music, dance and fashion.
dBs Institute of Sound & Digital Technologies
Based in the centre of Bristol, dBs is a specialist educational institute that offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in music production, sound engineering, live sound, sound for screen and game development.
It is a registered Avid Learning Partner (ALP) and Ableton Certified Training Centre that works with a wide range of creative industry organisations.
Students at dBs Institute can gain real-world experience alongside their studies thanks to dBs Pro, an in-house creative audio company. Students provide sound and music for film, television, video games, art installations and more.
University of the West of England
UWE’s School of Creative and Cultural Industries offers courses in subjects including drama, filmmaking, animation, photography, media production, journalism, creative and professional writing, film studies and media communications. There are also several fashion and textile and design courses.
Facilities include film, photography and animation studios as well as drama, acting and music facilities.
Many graduates also enter the creatives industries after studying marketing courses at the UWE Business School. It includes the MSc in digital marketing which has a module on using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premier Pro as well as the psychology underpinning related creative techniques.
UoB offers undergraduate degrees in film and television, music and theatre. Facilities include Wickham Theatre, a 24-hour rehearsal space, sound and design studios, carpentry and costume workshops, 214-seat cinema, 39-seat screening room, digital filmmaking equipment, production studios, animation and edit suites and sound rooms.
Bath Spa offers courses in subjects including music, film, design, media communications, art and drama. Facilities include a theatre and TV studios.
The university also has the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries (CCCI) which “aims to magnify research, engagement and discourse surrounding the theoretical, practical and commercial frameworks that embody the arts, media, or creative industries”.
Bristol Creative Industries jobs board
Members of Bristol Creative Industries regularly post apprenticeship opportunities on the BCI jobs board. See the latest vacancies here.
National College Creative Industries
The National College Creative Industries (NCCI) offers specialist technical production and business support apprenticeships via Access Creative College. You can find the latest details on the NCCI website.
Broadcaster Channel 4 offers apprenticeships in its Bristol base. It is currently recruiting for a creative diversity apprentice.
The BBC offers various TV production apprenticeship schemes, some of which are based in Bristol. See the latest opportunities here.
Government apprenticeships website
Creative and design and digital apprenticeships are regularly listed on the government’s apprenticeships website.
This list is not exhaustive. Email Dan with suggestions of other educational institutions and companies we can add.
Bristol Creative Industries is the membership network that supports the region's creative sector to learn, grow and connect, driven by the common belief that we can achieve more collectively than alone.
