University News Last updated 23 July
BA Acting student Erin Findlay has been awarded one of the industry’s biggest bursaries, the Clothworkers’ Laurence Olivier Bursary, worth £10,000.
The Clothworkers’ bursary is one of the Laurence Olivier bursaries, which total £80,000 and are awarded to drama school students across the UK to help them to complete their training.
The Clothworkers’ Laurence Olivier Bursary is donated by The Clothworkers’ Foundation, which aims to improve the lives of people and communities – particularly those facing disadvantage and marginalisation. The Bursary aims to assist a student in financial need who demonstrates significant talent and superior work ethic, going into their final year of training.
Erin said: “I'm absolutely thrilled and extremely grateful to have been selected for such a prestigious award. The audition process was a fantastic opportunity within itself, performing monologues on a West End stage and meeting with industry professionals, so winning the award was a real cherry on the cake.
“I plan to use the bursary to fund my final year of training. It'll mean that I'll be able to devote all my time and energy towards my final year, and also to be fully prepared for my departure into the wider industry - as the bursary will cover costs such as headshots, spotlight and equity memberships, travel to meet agents and more. As financial stress has now been alleviated, I feel extremely motivated to work even harder and make the most of my time at RBC.
“I've thoroughly enjoyed my time training here. I've gained so much knowledge and insight from all my brilliant tutors and really developed as a performer. I've also found myself gaining opportunities, such as this, that I would never have expected from the course, as well as the confidence, and skills needed, to go and seize them.”
Senior Lecturer in Acting Danièle Sanderson said: “We are incredibly pleased for Erin to win this prestigious bursary. It is testament to her talent and superior work ethic, which has been spotted and rewarded by a panel of industry experts.”
Nominees, who are put forward by drama schools across the UK, audition on a West End stage and are interviewed by a panel of theatre industry professionals, led by West End producer and Chair of the Laurence Olivier Bursaries Committee Lee Menzies.
Now in its 37th year, the bursaries were established by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) in 1987 to mark Laurence Olivier’s 80th birthday. Previous bursary winners have included Michaela Coel, Denise Gough, Bryony Hannah, Paterson Joseph, Ewan McGregor, Daniel Rigby, Vinette Robinson, and Michael Sheen.
The panel included casting director Heather Basten, producer Ameena Hamid, producer Gareth Johnson and Menzies.