Creative Producing MA

Program Overview

Performance (Creative Producing)

MA

Postgraduate degree

Overview

Do you want to produce live performances? This course is for creative producers at all stages of their career.

Develop your producing skills through collaborative projects with established industry professionals. Extend your artistic community through the University’s industry partners, collaborators and guest lecturers. Work on real-time projects with our in-house production company, led by the University’s Creative Producer.

What you'll learn

During this Creative Producing MA, you’ll build on your current experience and artistic vision, explore your creative ideas and judgement, and develop your entrepreneurial thinking.

We’ll equip you with the practical know-how to get your artistic ideas to audiences and sustain your practice. You’ll expand your professional knowledge, skills and networks in the following areas of creativity and business:

• Leadership of and collaboration with creative and technical teams
• Curation of artistic material
• Project management and planning
• Budgeting and finance management
• Fundraising and funding strategy
• Audience development
• Marketing.

You’ll also learn key cultural contexts that’ll enhance your critical thinking and broaden your understanding of the Arts. This will enable you to:

• Reflect on your practice and develop your expertise
• Analyse current industry debates and policy
• Respond to new market trends and legislation
• Formulate business strategies for your work, including innovation, planning and longevity.

Course structure

Trimester one
You’ll begin by building the skills you need to be a producer, including those that are practical, creative and managerial.

You’ll explore the cultural industries, including how the business of live performance works in theory and in practice.

You’ll be given an overview of the economic and cultural landscape that a producer inhabits, allowing you to see where your skills and interests can be applied.

Trimester two
Trimester two gives you the collaborative model to explore your artistic ideas and begin planning for your own project or production.

You’ll examine how the producer leads and fits into a collaborative team, allowing you to reflect and explore your own professional identity and knowledge as a producer.

You’ll learn key skills that are essential and specific to building your business as an independent producer - your "producer's toolkit".

Trimester three
In the third trimester, everything you've learned on the MA so far comes together in your final project. This could be a research-phase of a new piece of work, a full-scale theatre production, a tour, or a festival. One of our alumni created Bath’s Garden Theatre Festival, which runs annually for a fortnight in the gardens of the Holburne Museum.

How will I be assessed?

You’ll be assessed by a range of methods, including:

• Performance portfolios
• Proposal documents for funding, business plans, strategies or artistic ideas
• Research projects
• Presentations
• Viva voces
• Reflective learning and work-based reports or journals
• Project evaluations.

How will I be taught?

We combine academic study along with practical hands-on experience. Throughout our creative producing course, you’ll apply and develop your producing expertise.

You’ll learn through a range of methods, including:

• Lectures by academics and industry guests
• Workshops
• Work-based learning via productions, festivals and working with industry
• Seminars
• Independent research.

Your learning will be enhanced by one-to-one tutorials and personal supervision. You’ll also benefit from mentoring, peer support and collaborative learning. In addition, you’ll glean industry expertise through attending industry events and guest talks.

Course modules

This course includes or offers the following modules. Please check the programme document for more information on which modules are core, required or optional.

• Professional Practice
• Skills Portfolio
• Performance Practices
• Professional Collaboration
• Major Project

Opportunities

Off-site visits

You’ll get the chance to visit theatres and venues, experience performances, and meet the people who create them.

Some trips are subsidised, however, you may have to contribute to fund travel, for example.

Work placements, industry links and internships

You’ll work on real-time creative projects for the University’s in-house production company, Bath Spa Productions. This means collaborating with professional theatre directors, choreographers, writers, musicians, theatre companies and venues – to develop your networks and the skills you’ll need for your future career.

You’ll also get the chance to work with a range of cultural organisations, such as Theatre Royal, Bristol Old Vic, The Holburne Museum and Bath Festivals.

Careers

The course is geared towards giving you the skills you need to develop a freelance career as a Creative Producer.

You’ll also be able to diversify your work by developing skills in other areas. Through the course, you’ll gain transferable skills that are designed to equip you to work in a range of areas including:

• Event and cultural management
• Cultural leading and strategy
• Artistic direction or management
• Leisure, tourism and heritage
• Fundraising
• Audience development
• Marketing.

Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.

Facilities and resources

Where the subject is taught

Based at our Newton Park Campus, you’ll have access to a range of University services, venues and specialist music resources.

Our Oldfield Park Theatre workshops are a purpose-built facility in central Bath. These facilities include:

• Four rehearsal studios and Black Box performance space
• Breakout spaces and quiet study areas
• Lecture and seminar rooms
• IT suite
• Fully-equipped carpentry workshop and teaching space
• Fully-equipped costume making workshop
• Prop making workshop.

You’ll also have access to facilities on our other campuses, including the University Theatre.

Resources

• Newton Park Library, including a large collection of books, periodicals and CDs with extensive eBook and online journal access.
• Support for your academic work from the Writing and Learning Centre, including feedback on written drafts and help with academic writing.
• English Language support from the English Language Unit, which can help you improve your English, reach your potential and boost your confidence.
• Virtual Learning Environment, which provides online access to learning materials such as lecture slides, assessment information, discussion boards and other resources.
• The Careers team run networking events and advisory workshops that explore your future options and the essentials of the job application process. They help you get experience by assisting with your search for work placements and paid part-time jobs while you're studying. When you're ready to progress into your chosen career, they can help you secure graduate-level employment, freelance opportunities, and funding for your own business ideas. Career support continues for years after you graduate with the dedicated Grad Support Unit.
• Free equipment loan service, which provides a huge variety including field recording, film and other audio related equipment.
• Access to thousands of business, design and tech courses online via LinkedIn Learning.
• Access to the full Adobe Creative Suite.

Fees

2025 entry

Student | Annual tuition fee
---|---
UK full time | £9,225
UK part time | £4,613
International full time | £17,835

Additional course costs

You may need to pay additional course costs over and above your tuition fees, for example, for specialist equipment or trips and visits. Please check the course Programme Document (linked under the main image on this page) for details of any additional costs. You can also read our Additional Course Costs Policy for further information.

Funding opportunities

Please visit our Funding pages for an overview of the funding options that may be available, including scholarships and bursaries.

What we look for in potential students

Our MA Creative Producing programme is for producers at all stages of their career, from those with a desire to work in live performance, to those with existing producing experience.

Generally we look for a good honours degree or higher, in an area relating to performance, or equivalent professional experience. See our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) web page to learn more.

Interview

We invite all eligible candidates to attend an interview in-person or online – whichever works for you. During this meeting, we’ll ask about your previous experience around performance projects. It’s our chance to get to know you and for you to get to know us. You’ll receive further information if you’re invited to interview.

How do I apply?

Ready to apply? Click the "apply now" button in the centre of this page.

Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply webpages.

When to apply

Many of our postgraduate courses have a limited number of student spaces. To avoid the disappointment of the course being full, we recommend that you apply now.

Late applications (generally those made after 31 July) will only be considered if places remain on the course.

Need more information or still have questions? Contact us to discuss your situation.

Contact us

Admissions:

• +44 (0)

Course Leader: Kerry Irvine
Email:

"MA Performance (Creative Producing)" was previously called "MA Creative Producing". It is now one of four MA Performance pathways.

Related courses

• Performance (Directing)
• Sound Design
• PG Sound Design
• Sound Production

Key facts

Award

MA Performance (Creative Producing)

School/s

Bath School of Music and Performing Arts

Campus or location

Newton Park

Course length

One year full-time or two years part-time.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This MA in Creative Producing is designed for producers at all stages of their career, from those with a desire to work in live performance to those with existing producing experience. The program aims to equip students with the practical know-how to get their artistic ideas to audiences and sustain their practice. It focuses on developing students' creative vision, artistic judgment, and business skills, enabling them to lead ambitious projects and build a strong professional identity.

Objectives:

• Develop producing skills through collaborative projects with established industry professionals.
• Extend artistic community through the University’s industry partners, collaborators, and guest lecturers.
• Work on real-time projects with the University’s in-house production company, led by the University’s Creative Producer.
• Enhance creative vision, artistic judgment, and business skills.
• Gain confidence in leading ambitious projects.
• Develop a clear sense of where skills can take them.

Outline:

Content:

• Leadership of and collaboration with creative and technical teams
• Curation of artistic material
• Project management and planning
• Budgeting and finance management
• Fundraising and funding strategy
• Audience development
• Marketing

Structure:

• Trimester One: Building practical, creative, and managerial skills; exploring the cultural industries and the business of live performance; gaining an overview of the economic and cultural landscape for producers.
• Trimester Two: Collaborative model to explore artistic ideas and plan for projects or productions; examining the role of the producer in a collaborative team; learning key skills for building a business as an independent producer.
• Trimester Three: Bringing together all learning in a final project, which could be a research phase of a new work, a full-scale theatre production, a tour, or a festival.

Course Schedule:

• One year full-time or two years part-time.

Modules:

• Professional Practice: This module explores the practicalities of producing, including project management, budgeting, fundraising, and marketing.
• Skills Portfolio: Students develop a portfolio of skills and experience that demonstrates their ability to produce successful performances.
• Performance Practices: This module examines the different performance practices that producers need to understand, including theatre, dance, music, and opera.
• Professional Collaboration: This module focuses on the importance of collaboration in producing, including working with artists, technicians, and other professionals.
• Major Project: Students undertake a major project that allows them to apply their skills and knowledge to a real-world production.

Assessment:

• Performance portfolios
• Proposal documents for funding, business plans, strategies, or artistic ideas
• Research projects
• Presentations
• Viva voces
• Reflective learning and work-based reports or journals
• Project evaluations

Teaching:

• Lectures by academics and industry guests
• Workshops
• Work-based learning via productions, festivals, and working with industry
• Seminars
• Independent research
• One-to-one tutorials and personal supervision
• Mentoring, peer support, and collaborative learning
• Industry events and guest talks

Careers:

• Freelance career as a Creative Producer
• Event and cultural management
• Cultural leading and strategy
• Artistic direction or management
• Leisure, tourism, and heritage
• Fundraising
• Audience development
• Marketing

Other:

• The course is geared towards giving students the skills they need to develop a freelance career as a Creative Producer.
• Students will work on real-time creative projects for the University’s in-house production company, Bath Spa Productions.
• Students will have the opportunity to work with a range of cultural organizations, such as Theatre Royal, Bristol Old Vic, The Holburne Museum, and Bath Festivals.
• Students will develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills through access to the full Adobe Creative Suite.
• The Careers team assists with the search for work placements and paid part-time jobs while studying.
• The Careers team helps secure graduate-level employment, freelance opportunities, and funding for business ideas.
• Students have access to a free equipment loan service, including field recording, film, and other audio-related equipment.
• Students have access to thousands of business, design, and tech courses online via LinkedIn Learning.
• Students have access to the full Adobe Creative Suite.