February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Andrew Bushe
DUBLIN — A new "Fame" school — an Academy of Performing Arts — is to be established by the Irish government at a cost of £35 million to allow Irish stars of the future to study at home.
It will be headquartered in the Dublin City University but will also have centers in Cork and Limerick and will have its own independent governing body.
The model for the new academy is based on the recommendations in a report prepared last year by Dr. Peter Renshaw of the London Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
The DCU campus will provide training in music and drama and will incorporate programs from the Gaiety School of Acting and the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
It will also include a Center of Creative Practice for research and will initiate a national program of continuing professional development for artists, teachers and managers.
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The Limerick campus, based at the University of Limerick, will incorporate the existing Irish World Music Center and will strengthen links with the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Daghda Dance company, which are both based in the city.
Dance facilities will be based at Cork’s Firkin Crane Dance Development Agency.
The new academy was jointly announced by Arts Minister Sile de Valera and Education Minister Michael Martin, who said it would develop the skills, talent and potential of both Irish and international students.