It’s my great pleasure to welcome you to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.  

This is a special place in many ways: a national conservatoire for Scotland with an international perspective, encompassing students and staff from more than 55 countries. Studying at RCS means being part of a dynamic global community of students, staff and alumni where, as well as developing excellence in your own discipline, you’ll have a wealth of opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and teachers with different skills and experience.  

We are a community that believes in creating your own art as well as bringing to life art from the near and distant past. Here you can realise your potential, develop your wider collaborative skills and create opportunities in one of the finest multi-disciplinary arts education environments in the world. 

We are based in Glasgow, a UNESCO City of Music that is regarded as one of the world’s friendliest places and one of the UK’s most culturally vibrant. Glasgow is home to five national arts companies; theatres, concert halls and live performance venues of all shapes  and sizes; great food and nightlife; as well as acres of beautiful green spaces. Beyond our city, Scotland boasts some of the most beautiful wild landscapes on the planet, is rich in history and heritage and hosts the world’s finest arts festival annually in Edinburgh. 

We all live in a world that feels anxious and divided – a world that needs creative citizens more than ever. A world that needs you. Here at RCS, you’ll be encouraged to develop not just your art but your power to use it. Why not come and see us for yourself at one of our Open Days, or get in touch to find out more about what matters to you.Through performance opportunities underpinned by research and pedagogical excellence, we will give you both a megaphone and a microscope, and the opportunity to refine your art so that you can reflect, shape and transform. 

RCS is a diverse centre of performance, with excellent venues and with active partnerships with all of Scotland’s national arts companies. This helps us create a learning environment that encourages you to think for yourself, produce your own ideas and find your place in the ongoing story of humanity through the arts.  

We hope to see you soon. 

Professor Jeffrey Sharkey