A time to shine as graduating students of Wakefield's Backstage Academy take centre stage in a state-of-the-art new studio

It was the first time a graduation ceremony had been held in the new XPLOR Research and Innovation Centre on Production Park, just outside Wakefield.

Opening in Autumn 2022, the £7m XPLOR facility boasts large-scale design and prototype spaces for testing, modelling, and building physical and virtual environments.

Over 90 students received their awards after completing Live Events Production, Live Visual Design and Production, Stage and Production Management undergraduate courses.

This year also saw the Academy’s first postgraduate students graduate in Live Event Design and Creative Technologies for Live Events.

Graduates, their friends and family, and other guests from the live events industry enjoyed a spectacular backdrop to the event in the new studio.

Current students’ visual, sound and lighting skills illuminated the stage and the venue, ensuring all had a real taste of the excitement of the live events industry.

Richard Sadler, Backstage Academy’s Director of Learning, Quality and Standards, said: “The Live Events industry is no stranger to awards ceremonies - but for us, the most important is the one we hold each year to celebrate our graduates success and achievements. After four years away from Production Park it was amazing to be back and to christen the newest addition to the campus.”

Backstage Academy specialises in degree courses and training programmes in the live events industry. It is based at Production Park, Langthwaite Road, South Kirkby.