'Rox academy' to turn Bognor into creative learning hub

The academy will be based on the town's expanding campus of the University of Chichester. It will provide students who want to go into the performing arts with the chance to become qualified in all aspects of the business.

Two new degree courses form the initial phases of the marriage of the worlds of academia and entertainment.

The first '“ for musical theatre '“ starts this September. Forty-four hopefuls have registered for the two-year foundation degree course, with the option of a third year.

It is expected about 30 to 35 of them will start the course. September next year will see a popular music degree course start at the campus off Upper Bognor Road.

Both courses will involve the students heavily in work experience. Links with the nearby Butlins holiday resort, with its lengthy history of entertainment, and the Alexandra Theatre in Bognor have been established by the university.

Allied to these developments is the creation of a community arts centre on the campus. This will be formed from the current assembly hall.

Its management will involve representatives of the Rox Music and Arts Organisation who stage an annual festival in Bognor each summer.

The centre is expected to be used for a wide range of art '“ from painting exhibitions to concerts.

The exciting news was announced by Romy Warren, the university's strategy development and implementation manager, at Tuesday's launch of Rox2008.

She said: "We want to develop a range of courses and support local organisations like Rox to encourage young people to perform and get the skills not only to go on stage but also how to organise themselves as a business.

"It will be important for our students to go out into the community and have links with groups such as Rox."

Rox founder Steve Goodheart said it had been a long-standing ambition to become involved with the university.

"This could be a dream come true. If it gives us the chance to create an artistic and creative community, it will be superb."

The academy followed the group's role in organising the regular Roxstar sessions in Bognor for young people.

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