Performance (Taught)

MA/MFA Performance is an exciting taught masters programme that offers a practical, versatile and interdisciplinary approach to performance-making and training. The programme provides you with an advanced and practical understanding of current performance practices, drawing on a broad range of artistic and theoretical influences. The development of new creative practice is at the core of the programme, as well as how this work might be developed and profiled in a professional context.

Furthermore, MA/MFA Performance offers you the chance to specialise in either of the distinctive areas of laboratory theatre or contemporary performance. The experience of these options is fed through a further process of critical and professional contextualisation, before you embark on the creation of your own major project as the culmination of the degree.

The Laboratory Theatre specialism focuses on performer training, dramaturgy and socially-engaged cultural actions. The Contemporary Performance specialism focuses on the creation of innovative and experimental performance practice, within or across the categories of radical theatre, contemporary dance and performance art/live art.

The programme draws particularly on the acclaimed interdisciplinary ethos and context of the Manchester School of Art and Manchester’s international arts networks.

Features and Benefits

• MA/MFA Performance capitalises on the cultural effervescence of Manchester and the North West region, whilst maintaining an outward-looking ethos, offering students the ability to develop an artistic voice.

• Our location in the landmark Grosvenor East building provides the programme with access to significant resources and the potential for cross-disciplinary influence and impact from a wide range of related arts and humanities practices in the faculty.

• The degree is taught by practitioner-researchers at the forefront of the performance field, with specialist knowledge in contemporary performance and laboratory theatre.

• The programme prepares students to make radical theatre and performance that responds to the unique challenges of the 21st century.