Learn About APAC | Our History & Our Success In The Arts Industry

ABOUT US

OUR HISTORY

APAC has a rich history of providing outstanding performing arts education in Brisbane.

Since its inception in 1993 as the Australian Stage Combat School (ASCS), evolving into the Actors Conservatory, the now renamed and expanded Australian Performing Arts Conservatory (APAC) has spent 27 years producing professional graduates who have gone on to successful careers across theatre, film and television.

The original offer of unaccredited, but sought-after, training in Acting eventually developed into a fully RTO accredited Advanced Diploma of Screen and Stage Acting, which was the first step towards the eventual goal of becoming a Higher Education provider. It also created the opportunity in 2007 to expand the range of vocational offerings to include Screen Production and Song & Dance.

Over this time, APAC flourished, bringing with it growth and stability which positioned APAC in 2013, to launch into pursuing its 25-year milestone goal of achieving Higher Education status.

Drawing upon the expertise and experience of a diverse range of highly qualified academic and professional specialists and teachers, APAC set about designing, developing, refining, and implementing its full-time intensive 2 year, Bachelor of Screen and Stage (BSS) degree – achieving TEQSA accreditation at the end of 2018, and delivering its first BSS classes from January 2019.

In December 2020, APAC celebrated the graduation of this inaugural full-time BSS cohort. These graduates will no doubt go on to join APAC’s traditionally high-achieving alumni. Whilst not all of their names will immediately leap out as instantly recognisable household names, it is highly likely that you will have seen them, and their work, across a diverse range of national and international stage, film and television projects and productions. What all these APAC graduates have in common is that they are all high-achieving professional performing artists who have, and continue, to forge very successful national and international careers.

These graduates personify many professional success stories. What those success stories have in common, is that they have all emerged from APAC – whose mission is to teach, nurture, develop, mentor and graduate accomplished, articulate, confident, qualified, culturally aware, multi-skilled, employable, professional artists.

We at APAC are immensely proud of our graduates, their achievements, and their success.

Because their success is our success.

OUR VISION & PURPOSE

We will achieve our vision by striving to be the best through constant innovation, being courageous, and by taking risks to create a learning environment the best talent aspires to.

APAC is where amazing artists aspire to become their best, to realise their dreams with the support and guidance of proven performers with academic excellence and rigour.

CORE VALUES

EXCELLENCE

Being the very best we can be – for our students, our graduates, our profession, our community, and our culture.

RESILIENCE

Taking and making opportunities that emerge out of challenges and threats.

ARTISTRY

Nurturing, developing, creating, and expressing innovative ideas, cultural contributions, aesthetic solutions.

A PORTRAIT OF APAC

Diverse by nature. Inclusive by choice.

A culture of creativity is life at the conservatory, and it takes all kinds.
Diversity invites us to think differently and creatively – it’s our strength.
Inclusion is necessary to give ideas air to grow.

Together they enhance our ability to differentiate ourselves.

APAC is the place where you will be empowered to share your voice, your story, have the freedom to
create your dream, and realise your passion.

If you are driven to create, we’d love for you to join us.

Warren Walmsley
Interim CEO

DIVERSITY - OUR COMMITMENT

APAC has a long and proud tradition of diversity, inclusivity, and support - for all students, of all backgrounds, at all levels - who are divern by their passion to tell their stories,

So what makes a ‘typical’ APAC student?

Well, quite a range – from a former African child-soldier who had never heard of Shakespeare, right through to high-flying entrepreneurs; students with disabilities and academic challenges, for whom we have adapted and tailored learning; teaching processes to accommodate their respective learning journeys, international corporate lawyers; taxi-drivers who emerged to become nationally acclaimed actors and award-winning film producers.

We have welcomed the diverse, embraced the passionate, developed the dream, cultivated the confidence, nurtured and focused the talent, to graduate adaptable, creative, employable, professionals artists, all of whom are able to articulate their own stories through the performing arts in their own unique way, representing and giving voice to a diversity of cultures and communities.

We continue to develop partnerships and build relationships with a range of cultural organisations, offering access to higher education together with professional pathways to all who demonstrate their deep passion and commitment.

We ‘get’ diversity and inclusivity; we welcome diversity and inclusivity; we are defined by diversity and inclusivity.

Dr Christiaan Willems

Director of Higher Education

OUR CAMPUS

Situated in the heart of Brisbane's CBD, APAC has the city at its fingertips. Our campus facilities are purpose built, with industry standard equipment and technologies, paired with passionate academics to support you through your journey.