Stage Critical

The last three years has been a challenging time for RADA along with other arts and education organisations across the world. The pandemic had a devastating impact on RADA’s finances and our ability to deliver world-class training. We have worked hard to increase income from our business subsidiaries as well as through our fundraising efforts including our Stage Critical campaign. The Stage Critical campaign was launched in June 2021 and we are grateful to our generous supporters who gave almost £1 million to support RADA students, allowing us to invest in training, and helping deliver RADA’s strategic priorities during the pandemic.

We acknowledge the generous support of The Utley Foundation, Satoko Yamaga Macdonald (in memory of Stage Management graduate: Trish Montemuro), Honeymeads Arts Trust, CHK Foundation, and Sylvia Waddilove Foundation for their support of the campaign, as well as the continued support of our President Circle members and Warner Brothers Discovery — our longstanding and valued Principal Partner.

Now with Niamh Dowling, RADA’s new Principal, in place we are continuing to stabilise and recover while also developing a new strategic vision to take RADA into the future as an innovator in education, dedicated to using the arts and education as a tool to create long-term change in society.

The Stage Critical campaign has now ended. Even though we have moved beyond the critical phase, there remains an urgent need to ensure sustainability for the financial security of the organisation. Going forward we will focus on ensuring this financial recovery, in tandem with developing our new strategic direction and an accompanying fundraising campaign.

The future
Over the last six months, RADA has been working on a new strategy with core values that will continue to prioritise excellence and inclusivity. However, this new strategy will be going further to ensure RADA is an institution that nurtures creative expression and empowers individuals to influence long term change in the creative industry and wider society. We are grateful for the generosity of our supporters which allows us to look towards the future, and to continue celebrating diversity and setting the standard for dramatic arts education.

For more information on supporting a transformative future for RADA, please contact Lisa Ramsell, Director of Development at development@rada.ac.uk.