Halló London! Icelandic Performing Arts students visit CCC

Last month, performing arts students from Borgarholtsskòli College in Reykjavik, Iceland, visited our Holloway and King’s Cross centres.

We spoke with Timothy Chaundy, Curriculum Leader (Centre Schools) at CCC, for a behind the scenes look at this international visit.

What did the students do during their visit? Were these all performing arts students?

The students visited for two full college days. During their visit, they met with some of the Performing Arts department staff and took part in a joint workshop, which gave them the chance to experience some of the performing arts activities we offer here.

They also had a tour of the building to explore our facilities. They were particularly impressed by the range and quality of our resources, especially when comparing them to what they have back in Iceland. One space they really loved was our black box theatre, known as the N7 Theatre.

As part of the workshop, they played drama games and took time to get to know each other. This helped them find common ground between their different performing arts practices.

 In Iceland, their studies combine performing arts with art and design, whereas here in the UK, the course is more vocational, with a stronger focus on practical training. They also learned more about the University of the Arts London (UAL) course structure. In the afternoon, we went for a walk around the local area, including a visit to Finsbury Park.

Have we worked with this Icelandic school before? Was this trip part of a wider partnership?

This was the first time we’ve worked with the college from Iceland, and the visit marks the beginning of what we hope will become a lasting partnership. We’re aiming to build on this experience and eventually take some of our students to Reykjavík next year.

This initiative is part of a wider goal within our department to develop more international partnerships. For example, in March, some of our students visited a drama school in Budapest, Hungary, where they took part in collaborative workshops and performances. We’re keen to expand these kinds of opportunities, as they enrich our students’ training and global perspective.

It also ties in with our commitment to offering diverse and inclusive training, which reflects the international backgrounds of many of our students. It’s about celebrating that diversity and creating meaningful connections across cultures.

Would you care to share a few words with us for a quote about the visit?

The visit was fantastic. It brought students together from different parts of the world to share their passion for performing arts and learn from one another. At a time when international connections are more important than ever, it was a powerful reminder of how the arts can create dialogue, build bridges, and foster creativity across cultures.

Want to know more? Whether it’s music production or drama, have a look at our Performing Arts courses and see how you can study drama and performing arts with us. Many of our Performing Arts courses are accredited by the University of the Arts London (UAL).

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