The NIDA experience
The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is Australia’s leading performing arts school and its graduates are highly regarded throughout the creative and entertainment industries. In over 60 years, NIDA has grown from a single acting class to a provider of hundreds of courses for both the professional and the passionate student.
What makes NIDA unique?
Learn from the best
NIDA students benefit from Australia’s most prestigious and acclaimed arts training. We aim to guide each student to realise their full potential and our teaching staff collectively bring a wealth of experience from the world’s arts, entertainment and cultural industries. Their expertise across theatre, screen, the latest performance platforms and many other cultural areas provides students with the skills and knowledge to build successful careers, and instils them with the passion and confidence to become Australia’s next creative leaders.
Your creativity is centre stage
At the heart of NIDA’s training is the belief that to be a creative leader, you must understand all aspects of bringing your artistic vision to life for an audience. From day one there is a balance between the academic and the practical, as all of our courses provide students with opportunities to put learning into practice.
Showcase your talents
NIDA provides unique chances for our students to showcase their work and talents to industry leaders, professionals and wider audiences. This invaluable professional experience means that NIDA students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to meet the professional challenges of the industry.
Full-scale productions
For undergraduate students, the NIDA Production Program provides an immersive experience, as students create, perform and stage full-scale productions. Students work together, with guest artists from around Australia and the world on theatrical productions, site-specific events and exhibitions. Produced to the highest standard, the program covers a range of classical and contemporary texts within different performance styles and settings, allowing students to develop their creative versatility.
Create new work
For graduate students, NIDA provides opportunities to collaborate with fellow students, alumni, industry leaders and creative partners on new projects, pushing students to expand their creative vision, and explore and discover innovative ways of creating work and engaging audiences.
Industry access
NIDA has strong ties to the arts and entertainment industries in Australia and internationally. Our courses are regularly reviewed with input from industry professionals to ensure that course content and delivery prepares students for their professional careers.
Each year, NIDA invites Australian and international guest artists, directors, writers and other professionals to share their industry expertise with our students and enrich their creative experience. Working with these artists as well as visiting lecturers and tutors, students develop a detailed understanding of contemporary arts practice from an industry perspective.
For some undergraduate and graduate students, we encourage and facilitate industry placements and opportunities that will assist them in making the transition to a professional career, as well as building their professional networks and gaining exposure to the international creative community.
Find a challenge that’s right for you
Not every course at NIDA requires you to audition or be interviewed. For our 15,000 NIDA Open students, a short course or weekend workshop is an opportunity to be challenged and inspired, and to explore their individual creativity. NIDA Open is for students of all ages and abilities and promotes the development of collaboration, confidence, teamwork and interpersonal skills to nurture creativity and unlock potential.
NIDA Open also offers students the chance to showcase their talent through short courses, Residency intensives, 6–12 month Studio courses, productions and live performances at the end of each term for family and friends.
NIDA believes that the principles of performance can help build successful careers and our Corporate training programs produce confident and polished presenters. Tutors draw directly from their expertise in training some of Australia’s best performers, providing individuals and corporate teams with the skills and confidence to be effective workplace communicators and successful public speakers.
Enjoy world-class facilities
NIDA’s advanced technical facilities are an essential part of our internationally renowned education and training. Our award-winning building houses the Graduate School, NIDA Theatres, Reg Grundy Studio, contemporary sound and lighting studios and sophisticated workshop spaces.
The NIDA Theatres complex includes six theatres, all of which cater to the different technical and artistic demands of productions and audiences.
NIDA also has numerous rehearsal rooms, teaching spaces, workshop spaces dedicated to scenery, properties and costume creation, as well as multi-media and CAD studios. The Rodney Seaborn Library, also based in the NIDA Theatres complex, is one of Australia’s leading performing arts-focused libraries.
The NIDA legacy
Want to know more?
NIDA’s main campus is located in Kensington, Sydney, Australia, and is made up of a range of state-of-the-art rehearsal and performance venues. You can also take a look at the world-class facilities and find out more about NIDA’s programs at the Info Night or Open Day.
You can contact us about courses, check out upcoming performances or join our mailing list to stay up to date. Or follow us and join our community of actors, directors, designers, film buffs, theatre-lovers and supporters.
