Weekend Arts College for Performing Arts (WAC)

WAC (Weekend Arts College) provides arts and media education and training for 5-25 year olds, prioritising young people from low income families. They currently have 600 members. Their priority is to ensure that low income and disadvantaged young people can take part in the performing arts at all levels. This extends as far as members want to go and especially if they choose to develop their skills into a future career in the arts. They offer a broad range of art forms and genres so every young person can find something that connects with them and they also run specialist programmes for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Particular focus is placed on prevocational training for 14-25 year olds and they target young people who are at risk of under achievement at school and who cannot afford extra curricula arts involvement. WAC has lost its Arts Council from April 2012. Their members come from 30 of the 33 boroughs of London and there are 600 people on the waiting list. They offer drop-in sessions for the under-fives and weekend classes for 5 to 25 year olds. There are also evening sessions, holiday courses and play schemes. In July 2011, the Trustees of The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation agreed to fund senior tutor fees over a three year period in order to secure the future of the college.