The arts are neglected in schools and RARE is here to change that.
In a country where funding for the arts in state schools is often neglected, with a 30% decline in Art A-Level entries over the past decade, it’s essential to have institutions that give aspiring students the chance to truly hone their crafts. One such place is RARE School, a unique Liverpool-based college dedicated to nurturing talent in the fields of dance, musical theatre, art, design, and fashion. With its hands-on, industry-focused approach, it serves as a vital platform for students determined to pursue careers in the arts.
When I first met Joel, a dear friend and Creative Direction student, we often laughed about how our college experiences couldn’t have been more different. While my experience was the typical A-level route, Joel’s journey led him to RARE, where the focus is firmly on developing practical, professional skills. After relocating to London to pursue his fashion dreams, Joel returned to Liverpool to help with a show at RARE, held every year at the M&S Bank Arena. I was intrigued by the buzz and excitement of his experience, so I decided to follow him to Liverpool and see firsthand how RARE’s environment differed from my own.
The college’s ethos is simple: for students who already know they want to pursue a career in the arts, RARE provides the tools and support they need to make that dream a reality. Twice a year, the school stages large-scale shows at the M&S Bank Arena, a venue that showcases students’ work across various disciplines.
I had the privilege of speaking to RARE’s Principal, Lindsay Inglesby, about the school’s mission. “We perform twice a year at the M&S Bank Arena Auditorium,” she said. “The shows are always an accumulation of the term’s work. The aim is to see how students have progressed through the training. It’s goal driven so it gives them something to work towards and it’s the first opportunity to collaborate between the performance art department and the fashion and design department.”
Lindsay further explained how RARE has evolved over its 11-year history. “The whole idea behind it was to deliver exceptional art provision, either in dance, musical theatre, art, design and fashion. It was designed like this because those subjects are not really taken seriously in schools. This school is designed to get them onto the next level, whether that’s higher education, vocational training or straight into employment.”
Despite the challenges the arts industry can pose – especially the uncertainty of employment – Lindsay emphasizes the importance of persistence. “You can’t enter this industry without knowing there are challenges ahead. The art chooses you; you don’t choose the art,” she says.
For Anton Alexandrov, a former dancer with the Hamburg Ballet and now a dance and theory teacher at RARE, the emphasis is on preparing students for the realities of the industry. “We try to instill in the students that we are preparing them for the industry, not just a classroom performance,” Anton explains. “What they learn here will shape their future in the arts.”
RARE School is not just about creating great performances; it’s about developing resilient, skilled professionals ready to take on the arts’ world. After gaining an insight into the rehearsal process and assisting the show, I was really able to tell that students at RARE are very capable of doing exactly that.
