Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts

“The people and teachers I have met on this course have had an incredibly positive impact on my creative journey. Networking and collaborating with a wide variety of people has broadened my understanding of the theatre industry and the opportunities that are available after this course. It’s been such an eye opening and worthwhile year!"

"I’ve really loved my time at Mountview. The opportunity to work practically producing across multiple mediums (theatre, film, event, festival) has been amazing. I've felt I've massively developed practically as a producer as well as hugely advancing my knowledge of the industry. I am so glad that I chose a course combining theory with so many practical opportunities to produce. I especially loved getting to produce two shows for VIEW Festival. Working collaboratively with directors, writers, actors, and production teams to bring new writing to life was especially exciting and fulfilling."

“Studying for the MA at Mountview has been a steady, grounding part of my growth as a teacher and choreographer. Engaging with bell hooks’ writing—especially her thinking on love, care, and education as a practice of freedom—has helped me look at my work with more honesty and responsibility. The balance of clear academic thinking, creative exploration, and reflective space has allowed me to examine my practice in a way that feels both rigorous and humane. The teaching is rooted, current, and genuinely thoughtful, and the cohort has been a place where real conversation and shared learning could unfold. This MA has strengthened my voice as an educator and artist, giving me a clearer, more grounded sense of purpose in my work at Mountview and in the wider professional world I move through.”

“The amount of resources that have been provided is astounding: tutorials, workshops, readings and, most importantly, people. I was taught by award-winning writers such as Leo Butler, Roy Williams, Stef Smith, Sami Ibrahim and Yasmin Joseph, over month-long periods, meeting weekly for hours at a time to pick their inspiring brains.”

“Learning as a creative cohort with directors and producers is what makes this course so unique and incredible. The connections I’ve formed with people from all over the world will stay with me for many years to come. It’s been so special to see my work brought to life with so much respect, sensitivity and kindness by my classmates, with the outstanding talent of the Mountview actors.”

“Despite everything that is happening in the world, I feel full of love and hope. The MA Theatre for Community and Education course has reminded me how essential it is to create and nurture communities where we support and care for one another. That sense of connection and solidarity feels more important than ever.”

"For me, the connections, networks, and support systems this course have provided me have been so valuable - especially teaching from not only excellent internal staff who continue to work within the theatre industry, but such a variety of visiting professionals with equally varied practices and specialisms.

This MA has really helped me refine my practice and explore the type of theatre I want to produce. I have learnt so much about producing from conversations with professionals as well as through opportunities to put theory into practice - gain experience on projects from public facing productions, to short films, to events. Producing is ultimately practical by nature, therefore the opportunity this course gives you to bring your ideas into reality is invaluable."

“Being on the Creative Practice Course has helped me grow not only as a director, but also as a collaborator and creative individual. I’ve worked alongside so many inspiring theatre professionals and built lasting friendships. I have been encouraged to develop my own artistic voice and have become far more confident, imaginative and assured than before.”

"My time at Mountview has been demanding, exciting, bundles of fun and most importantly extremely rewarding. Every day brought a new challenge, a new person to meet and a new experience."

"My year in Mountview was a big turning point in my life. The MA Musical Theatre course not only taught me the performance skills I needed to navigate through the industry but also provided me a diverse community of creatives who I still collaborate and work with until today."

“This course has been a dream come true. I do not recognise the person I was at the start and I am so proud of who it has helped me to become. More confident in myself and my work. More open to making connections and friends. A better person.”

"This course has not only changed my professional practice, but it has also transformed my entire perspective on the world around me. I now have a much deeper understanding of global policies and social issues. I’ve developed a valuable toolkit of educational materials that I am excited to use. I feel a significant amount of personal growth; I’ve discovered my passions, and I'm gaining clarity on the changes I want to advocate for. I feel incredibly fortunate to have learned in such a beautiful, collaborative space. This course has inspired me and given me hope to create the change I wish to see in the creative arts and education sectors"

"Choosing Mountview was one of the best decisions I've made.

Coming from a background in industrial design and product management, I arrived with limited formal theatre training. This course gave me the opportunity to completely rethink what producing could be. One of the things I value most is the generosity of the people around me. I've had the chance to work with directors, writers, designers, stage managers, technicians, performers and producers from a wide range of backgrounds, and every collaboration has taught me something new. The kindness, trust and passion I've experienced within the cohort and from staff have given me the confidence to keep exploring, even when working outside my comfort zone. I've made mistakes, solved problems, and gradually found my own voice as a producer.

What makes Mountview special to me is its professional environment. You're constantly encouraged to work to industry standards while still being supported to experiment, take risks and discover the kind of practitioner you want to become. Most importantly, this course gave me the space to imagine a completely different future for myself. It helped me make the transition from STEM into theatre, and showed me that producing could become not only a profession, but also a way of thinking about people, collaboration and creativity.

I'm incredibly grateful for everything I've learned this year, and I couldn't imagine a better place to have started this journey."

“The MA in Theatre for Community and Education has been life changing. Throughout the course, I have engaged with a wide range of thought-provoking workshops, inspiring lectures and enriching course materials that challenged and expanded my thinking. I now feel confident and well equipped as a facilitator to work with a diverse range of community groups and settings. The course is trauma-informed, grounded in strong theoretical practice and truly inspiring!”

"The MA was everything i hoped it would be and much more. It provided such a beautiful balance of practice and theory and so many opportunities to explore and discuss.... This masters programme is a perfect place for arts practitioners at different stages of their career to deepen this vital, community focussed and learning centred part of their practice."

"My experience on the MA Creative Practice course has been phenomenal.

The practical nature of the course meant that I was immediately creating work from day one and learning producing on the job. This combined with being surrounded by a group of inspiring multi-disciplinary creatives lead to many opportunities for collaboration and creation amongst the cohort. I've worked alongside people who I am certain will be life-long collaborators.

The teaching staff are extraordinary, with years and years of experience and wisdom which has set me up for my professional career. The degree has also helped me expand my address book, making connections with people around the country and throughout the sector who are helping support my journey as a producer.

In short, I've learned more than I could have hoped for and am incredibly excited to continue in this career with the knowledge, connections, and excitement that Mountview has instilled in me."

"Training at Mountview was both the most challenging and rewarding experience I've had. The support and guidance I received whilst facing fears and insecurities that performing naturally brings was fantastic."