This year the sixth Costume Symposium will be held from Friday 19 – Sunday 21 September at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama/ Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru in Cardiff, 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 19 September) will be Antony McDonald, who has worked internationally on many performances as a director and designer across theatre, opera and dance. In 2023, he was nominated for the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera for his Alcina design staged at the Royal Opera House. Also speaking will be costume production manager and costume supervisor Carol Lingwood, who works across theatre, film and events and was Head of Costume at the UK’s National Theatre for over twenty years. Carol will talk about A Day in the Life of a Costume Supervisor.
Simon Lewis will present a demonstration on tying men’s neck cloths and cravats and there will be a panel discussion in which industry professionals will discuss how to bring sustainability into costume design and making.
Two days of practical workshops (Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September) will be led by Sean Barrett (Millinery), Gillian Carew (Men’s Period Tailoring) , Michele Carragher (Embroidery Embellishment), Enda Kenny (Dyeing and Enhancement), Kunza (Corsetry), Riina Oun (Handmade Gloves), with a new tutor, Mo Clouting (Costume Making for Stop Motion Animation). The workshops offer an unrivalled opportunity for makers to develop their skills. Find out about the workshops here.
