About
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD; Welsh: Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru) is the national conservatoire of Wales, located in Cardiff, Wales, providing professional training for actors, musicians, designers, technicians and arts management.
The College trains more than 900 students from over 40 countries, offering foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes combining specialist training with industry-level experience.
It also operates as a producing arts centre with a public programme of more than 500 performances annually, encompassing classical and contemporary music, drama, opera, musical theatre, puppetry and design-based performance.
Teaching is delivered by staff with professional industry experience, supported by partners and visiting practitioners. Partners include Welsh National Opera and BBC NOW, contributing to the integration of current industry practice into its training and performance programmes.
The campus includes the Richard Burton Theatre, the glass-lined Carne Foyer, the Dora Stoutzker Hall, the first purpose-built chamber recital hall in Wales, and the Anthony Hopkins Centre, housed in the former Cardiff Castle Stables. The college has recently extended its campus to include the historic Old Library in the centre of Cardiff, as a centre for education and public arts.
The College's Patron is King Charles III. Dame Shirley Bassey was appointed president in 2024, its 75th anniversary year.
Vice presidents include fellows Michael Sheen and Sir Bryn Terfel; fellow and graduate Sir Anthony Hopkins; the CEO of Race Council Cymru, Uzo Iwobi; Philip Carne; Rhodri Talfan-Davies; Lady Anya Sainsbury; and The Rt. Rev. The Lord Williams of Oystermouth, Archbishop Emeritus of Canterbury.