SITGES, Spain, June 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Aspiring young British and Irish performers will have the opportunity to launch their studies in Spain thanks to innovative courses being introduced by Barcelona's Institute of the Arts this September. Inspired and supported by Sir Paul McCartney's LIPA, The Institute of the Arts - Barcelona was founded by Giles Auckland-Lewis and Mark Lethem in February 2013. The Institute's new Foundation Diploma will allow aspiring actors, dancers and musical theatre performers to develop their practical skills while learning about essential business aspects of a career in creative arts.

Based in a state-of-the-art building in the attractive Spanish coastal town of Sitges, just 20 minutes from the vibrant cultural hub that is Barcelona, the Institute of the Arts - Barcelona is Europe´s newest performing arts higher education establishment. IAB will offer performing arts students an integrated educational experience that blends modernity with creativity and entrepreneurialism, it is taking a pioneering approach to performing arts courses.

Institute Director Giles Auckland-Lewis explains: "Delivered in English, our diploma is unique in mainland Europe, having been specially designed with the aim not only of nurturing creative talent, but also of developing business skills vital for the performers in an increasingly competitive industry." He adds, "Graduates who complete this Foundation Diploma will be commercially savvy as well as fully prepared to embark on a degree in their chosen aspect of the creative arts industry."

Representatives from the Institute of the Arts - Barcelona will be holding auditions in the UK and the Republic of Ireland during the week commencing 24^th June 2013 at venues in Edinburgh, Dublin, Leeds and London respectively. These auditions, which are free and open to anyone aged 17 and over who wishes to apply for a place at the Institute, are specifically for the full-time, one-year Foundation Diploma courses in acting, dance or musical theatre. The course will run from September 2013 to July 2014.

Auditions for the diploma course are being held at the following venues:

Edinburgh on 24^th June - 13:00 to 16:00 at Dance Base, 14-16 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2JU - Telephone: 0131 225 5525 - website: http://www.dancebase.co.uk

Leeds on 25^th June - 18:00 to 21:00 at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, 98 Chapeltown Road, Leeds LS7 4BH - Telephone: 0113 2193000 - website: http://www.nscd.ac.uk

Dublin on 26^th June - 13:00 to 16:00 at Dance Ireland (Studio 4), 1 Foley Street, Dublin 1, Ireland - Telephone: +353 1 855 8800 - website: http://www.danceireland.ie

London on 27^th June - 13:00 to 16:00 at Pineapple Studio (Studio 9), 7 Langley St., London WC2H 9JA - Telephone: 0207 8364004 - website: http://www.pineapple.uk.com

Anyone wishing to register for an audition should visit the Institute's website http://www.iabarcelona.com/auditions.html to download an application form.

Giles Auckland-Lewis
Principal
+34-938-949-713
g.auckland-lewis@iabarcelona.es

SOURCE Institute of the Arts - Barcelona