Life at Access Creative College goes far beyond the classroom. From day one, you’ll be immersed in a professional, industry-centric environment designed to prepare you for the real world.
Everything we do is focused on helping you turn your passion into a career. With expert guidance, real-world opportunities, and a clear path to Higher Education or employment, your journey with us is the ideal start to a thriving career.
Education isn’t just about what you can learn. It should also be a springboard into industry, and we do everything in our power to help you make the connections you need to open the doors to your future.
Throughout the year, you’ll have access to masterclasses with industry professionals, and visits to key cultural sites like museums and galleries. We also offer a varied selection of work experience at festivals, as well as work experience at local companies (on some courses) that are relevant to your subject of choice.
Brighten The Corners is the new name for the festival once known as Sound City Ipswich. B.T.C. is another multi venue festival spread across Ipswich with shows in a myriad of venues including a church and a Victorian swimming baths. There is also a stage in the town centre that features acts curated by Access Creative and BBC Introducing team in Suffolk.
Forwards Festival is managed by the brilliant people at Team Love. ACC students get to play, volunteer and help run a small open mic area and workshops across the weekend.
Love Saves The Day is managed by the brilliant people at Team Love. ACC students get to work as Artist Liaison and other roles at Love Saves The Day.
Renderman is Pixar's advanced technology for rendering VFX and animation. Renderman is used throughout the Animation/VFX industry for rendering visual effects and animation. Our Animation and VFX students receive free Renderman accounts, as well as a resource of official Renderman tutorials to help our students get the best from the software.
Access Creative College has curated and run a stage at Latitude for the last 12 years. Previous ACC performers on our stage include Ed Sheeran, Lets Eat Grandma, Bessie Turner, Maya Law, Mullally and many others. Our students are offered opportunities to get involved in the festival, in roles such as performers or event crew.
In a drive to rewrite the cultural boundaries of the music business by truly understanding the difficulties women face, Beyond The Music gives the stage to those who want to share their experiences, gathering experts to discuss and shape the brand-new voluntary regulation.
Wild Paths is a multi venue festival during a weekend in October and has become a ‘go to’ event on the festival calendar. ACC Norwich hosts the music industry conference day for Wild Paths and we curate a showcase of our brightest talent in Norwich’s famous Millennium Library. ACC students also get the opportunity to work and volunteer across the many gigs over that weekend.
Climate Live raises awareness of the challenges faced today by people on the front line of ecological breakdown, and the predictions by scientists for the future. They use music engage, educate and empower and we're proud to partner with them at UK festivals.
We’re here to help you build the skills you’ll need to take your next steps – whether that’s into a creative career or something else you’re passionate about that you find along the way. You’ll get the chance to grow your confidence, learn what employers are looking for, and figure out what path might be right for you.
Each week, you’ll take part in professional development sessions and have access to one-to-one check-ins to help you stay on track and get advice that’s personal to you. You’ll also have chances to work on projects with others, meet people from different industries, and hear real stories about how they got started – so you can start thinking about what’s possible for you.
We’re here to help you build the skills you’ll need to take your next steps – whether that’s into a creative career or something else you’re passionate about that you find along the way. You’ll get the chance to grow your confidence, learn what employers are looking for, and figure out what path might be right for you.
Each week, you’ll take part in professional development sessions and have access to one-to-one check-ins to help you stay on track and get advice that’s personal to you. You’ll also have chances to work on projects with others, meet people from different industries, and hear real stories about how they got started – so you can start thinking about what’s possible for you.
We’re here to help you build the skills you’ll need to take your next steps – whether that’s into a creative career or something else you’re passionate about that you find along the way. You’ll get the chance to grow your confidence, learn what employers are looking for, and figure out what path might be right for you.
Each week, you’ll take part in professional development sessions and have access to one-to-one check-ins to help you stay on track and get advice that’s personal to you. You’ll also have chances to work on projects with others, meet people from different industries, and hear real stories about how they got started – so you can start thinking about what’s possible for you.
The UK’s creative industries are full of opportunity – and they’re growing every day.
This exciting sector shapes so much of our world; the music we listen to, the films and shows we watch, the books we read, the games we play, the fashion we wear, and even the products we use and the buildings around us. It’s everywhere.
Right now, the creative sector is growing faster than the wider UK economy (Gov.co.uk). That means more jobs, more roles and more ways in. In fact, it’s estimated that there could be over 3.3 million jobs in the UK’s creative industries by 2030 (Gov.co.uk). There has never been a better time to study and build a career as a creative.
We work closely with industry partners – and with you – to help you develop the key skills that unlock opportunities, not just in creative careers but in a wide range of industries.
We focus on building essential skills like:
These are the skills employers are actively looking for, according to employer feedback across the sector.
We work closely with industry partners – and with you – to help you develop the key skills that unlock opportunities, not just in creative careers but in a wide range of industries.
We focus on building essential skills like:
These are the skills employers are actively looking for, according to employer feedback across the sector.
2.4 million people are already in creative roles. That’s around 1 in every 14 jobs in the UK.
UK Government – Creative Industries Sector Vision (2023)
4 million creative jobs are expected by 2030.
UK Government – Creative Industries Sector Vision (2023)
The government has committed £380 million funding to growing the creative industries.
The Creative Industries UK
The UK is a global hub for film and TV. In 2024, the sector brought in £5.6 billion, with major productions choosing to film here.
Financial Times (2024)
