COSTUME SYMPOSIUM 2025
COSTUME SYMPOSIUM 2024
PHOTOS FROM COSTUME SYMPOSIUM 2024
COSTUME SYMPOSIUM VIDEOS
About Costume Symposium
In 2017 award-winning costume designer Susannah Buxton was invited to speak at a costume symposium for young technicians and designers held at the Opera House in Oslo, Norway. The experience inspired her to set up a similar event in the UK. The first UK Costume Symposium was held in London in June 2018, followed by the second at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in 2019, the third at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2022 and the fourth at the University of Huddersfield in 2023.. There will be further events in other parts of the country.
Why we started
Practices which support costume design, such as millinery, corsetry, embroidery and tailoring, are often taken for granted and the results achieved are rarely acknowledged. Costume Symposium events aim to recognise and demonstrate these extraordinary and in some cases endangered skills, and help maintain the high quality of production in every area of the arts and entertainment industries.
Who Costume Symposium is for
Some of the technicians working in theatre, opera, film and television work at home in relative isolation and on low pay. They often have little chance to see how others work. Costume Symposium events will enable them to share their knowledge and enthusiasm, hear from experienced practitioners and try out new skills.
What we do
The first UK costume symposium for young technicians and designers took place in June 2018. It consisted on a day of talks, with a costume demonstration and panel discussion on training for costume makers, and two days of practical workshops in corsetry, embellishment and patination, handmade gloves, men's period tailoring and millinery. The subsequent events at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, Bristol Old Vic Theare School and the University of Huddersfield have had a similar format.
Here’s a trailer for a video from the Crafts Council in which Susannah Buxton talks about her career as a costume designer and why it’s important to share knowledge and experience with designers and makers through events such as Costume Symposium. To see the whole film visit the link at the end of the trailer and scroll down the Crafts Council page.
what participants have said about Costume Symposium
Latest news
Registration opens for 2024, speakers and workshops announced
This year the fifth Costume Symposium will be held from Friday 6 – Sunday 8 September at Nottingham Trent University, with the usual format of a day of talks followed by two days of workshops. Find out about registration here. Keynote speaker for the Talks day (Friday 6 September) will be Caroline McCall, a BAFTA […]
Costume Symposium 2024 dates and venue
This year the fifth Costume Symposium will be held from Friday 6 – Sunday 8 September at Nottingham Trent University, with the usual format of a day of talks followed by two days of workshops. Speakers and tutors will be announced soon, and registration will open in June.
Fourth Costume Symposium held at University of Huddersfield
Talks day 2023 – Danny Boyle and Claire Smith. Photo © Andreas Sterzing 2023.The fourth Costume Symposium was held at the University of Huddersfield’s Barbara Hepworth Building from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 September 2023. The talks day included an interview with director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, The Beach, Slumdog Millionaire), a keynote session from award-winning […]
Costume Symposium 2023 – special guest speaker announced
We are thrilled that that Academy Award winning director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Yesterday) will be a special guest speaker at the Talks day (Friday 1 September) of the 2023 Costume Symposium at the University of Huddersfield. The day will also feature keynote speaker Academy Award winning costume designer Jenny Beavan (Mad Max: Fury Road, […]