175 Years of History

1847 – Royal Conservatoire of Scotland opens as Glasgow Athenaeum

1886 – Drama is added to school curriculum

1929 – Scottish National Academy of Music is formed from the School of Music

1944 – King George VI approves the prefix ‘Royal’ in recognition of the school’s international standing, making it the ‘Royal Scottish Academy of Music’. His wife, Queen Elizabeth assumed the role of Patron, a role she continued as Queen Mother until 2002

1950 – The Glasgow College of Dramatic Art is created

1962 – First television studio located within a UK drama school

1968 – The school is renamed the ‘Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama’

1994 – RCS becomes the first UK conservatoire to be awarded its own degree-awarding powers by the Privy Council

2001 – First research students are recruited

2002 – Upon the death of the Queen Mother, HRH, The Prince Charles assumes the role of Patron

2011 – The institution becomes the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to reflect our national growth and the degrees offered across the whole of the performing arts

2021 – RCS is ranked in the world top three for performing arts education in the QS World University Rankings

2022 – 175 years old!