The Stage of Visibility

This Performing arts school located alongside Nottingham Canal uses the power of visibility to connect performance and community, promoting wellbeing and creating a space for transparency and inspiration, hoping to bring stability within a world of fluctuation. The Canal’s water serves as a metaphor for fluctuation in our wellbeing, mental health and the ever-changing and fluid nature of the arts. This school is a hub for creativity, expression and vulnerability, creating a stable environment; It is a glowing emblem for the performing arts community in Nottingham, as other performing arts schools and theatres surround it. Just as the Canal was used to connect Trent Bridge and Langley Mill, this school will connect those within the community. The school becomes a widely visible stage, with the studios giving a glimpse of the activity within; light diffuses out at night, and light diffuses in during the day, creating a unique relationship between inside and outside. The double-height foyer is the heart of the school, accessible by both students and the public; it is the initial introduction to the journey through the school, housing impromptu performances visible from almost every point within the foyer, teasing the idea of the power of visibility. Finally, the pavilion is a colourful structure that is the focal point of the public square, encouraging people to perform under dispersed colours in a safe and welcoming environment.