A film-maker, who has worked with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, has welcomed the news the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is opening a centre of excellence in Fraserburgh.
Jon Baird, who grew up in Peterhead, has produced and written movie scripts with a host of famous actors including James McAvoy and Elijah Wood, in addition to teaming up with Oscar winner and cinema legend Martin Scorsese on the TV series Vinyl.
Mr Baird is best known for directing a critically acclaimed adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s Filth.
Now, the director has backed a deal to bring one of the world’s top performing arts schools to Aberdeenshire.
On Thursday, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD), agreed to establish a centre of excellence in Fraserburgh to help disadvantaged young people become elite musicians, actors and performers.
Under the proposals, the conservatoire will run weekly workshops with children in all the arts as well as offer support to train arts teachers already in the area.
The workshops will be free for many pupils and a range of bursaries will also be on offer.
Last night Mr Baird – who was involved in the arts in Peterhead at a young age before moving to London – said he was “delighted”.
He added: “I’m delighted at the news, because I’m fully behind anything that promotes the arts in the north east.
“The arts in general need to be more accessible to those who have really interesting stories to tell, but do not have the resources or contacts to do so.”
Youngsters aspiring to train to an elite level in the arts currently have to travel to Glasgow to study at the academy, which has nurtured myriad Scottish greats including David Tennant, Robert Carlyle and James McAvoy – who starred in Filth.
Now, young people will be able to receive the same standard of education in Fraserburgh venues including the Dalrymple Hall.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is ranked sixth in the world of performing arts institutes, just behind the Juilliard in New York and the Sibelius Academy in Finland.
