ARTTS International
Encyclopedia
ARTTS International was a multi-discipline film, television, radio and stage training centre in Bubwith
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, England
established by John Sichel
in 1990. The centre ran for 15 years until his death in 2005, during which time over 500 students trained there, most of whom have since found work in the entertainment industry.
After working many years in the television and theatre industry, Producer John Sichel
fell out with the commissioners at the BBC
due to his opinionated and strong views for quality over quantity and lack of originality in content being produced.
In order to find what he felt would be a forum for creative output, John, along with co-founder and wife Elfie Sichel, converted a disused pig farm into a professional television, film, theatre and radio teaching facility, with the idea that learning should be by doing, rather than reading.
"ARTTS" was an acronym for Advanced Residential Theatre & Television Skillcentre". It was designed for students to live and study together in the same environment. In fact, one student accommodation block was a suitably converted pig stables.
ARTTS opened in 1990 with 12 trainees, most of whom were interviewed before the facility had even been built. One of these trainees, Geoffrey Bicker, went on to become ARTTS Technical Director for over 10 years, and throughout this time ARTTS stood by its proud "94% Employment Record".
Its on site training contained a 200 seater theatre, three television studios, a radio studio and full location equipment for television and 16mm and 35mm film. With an emphasis on the personal as well as the professional, trainees were pushed to learn the essentials of how to keep and maintain a job and reputation as someone continually employable whilst being creative and enthusiastic.
Despite its constant financial battles, ARTTS continued to educate around 60 trainees a year from all over the world.
On 5 April 2005, John Sichel died and despite attempts to continue this legacy, spearheaded by not only Elfie but their daughters Katrina Sichel and Tanya Byron
, and former graduates Derek Donohoe and Geoffrey Bicker, ARTTS closed down six months afterwards. Geoffrey and Derek went on to form AON Productions, continuing the corporate video work of ARTTS Productions.
The centre is now expected to be partially demolished and reused.
Bubwith
Bubwith is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The village is situated about north east of Selby, and north of Goole. It is situated on the east bank of the River Derwent, west of which is the Selby district of North Yorkshire...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
established by John Sichel
John Sichel
John Peter Sichel was a British director of film, stage and television, and, later in life, a film, television, and theatre trainer....
in 1990. The centre ran for 15 years until his death in 2005, during which time over 500 students trained there, most of whom have since found work in the entertainment industry.
History
John Sichel
John Peter Sichel was a British director of film, stage and television, and, later in life, a film, television, and theatre trainer....
fell out with the commissioners at the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
due to his opinionated and strong views for quality over quantity and lack of originality in content being produced.
In order to find what he felt would be a forum for creative output, John, along with co-founder and wife Elfie Sichel, converted a disused pig farm into a professional television, film, theatre and radio teaching facility, with the idea that learning should be by doing, rather than reading.
"ARTTS" was an acronym for Advanced Residential Theatre & Television Skillcentre". It was designed for students to live and study together in the same environment. In fact, one student accommodation block was a suitably converted pig stables.
ARTTS opened in 1990 with 12 trainees, most of whom were interviewed before the facility had even been built. One of these trainees, Geoffrey Bicker, went on to become ARTTS Technical Director for over 10 years, and throughout this time ARTTS stood by its proud "94% Employment Record".
Its on site training contained a 200 seater theatre, three television studios, a radio studio and full location equipment for television and 16mm and 35mm film. With an emphasis on the personal as well as the professional, trainees were pushed to learn the essentials of how to keep and maintain a job and reputation as someone continually employable whilst being creative and enthusiastic.
Despite its constant financial battles, ARTTS continued to educate around 60 trainees a year from all over the world.
On 5 April 2005, John Sichel died and despite attempts to continue this legacy, spearheaded by not only Elfie but their daughters Katrina Sichel and Tanya Byron
Tanya Byron
Tanya Byron is a British psychologist, writer and media personality, best known for her work as a child therapist on television shows Little Angels and The House of Tiny Tearaways...
, and former graduates Derek Donohoe and Geoffrey Bicker, ARTTS closed down six months afterwards. Geoffrey and Derek went on to form AON Productions, continuing the corporate video work of ARTTS Productions.
The centre is now expected to be partially demolished and reused.
Notable trainees
- Bruce ByronBruce ByronBruce Michael Byron is an English actor best known for his role as DC Terry Perkins in The Bill. He originally followed a career in music, and he started acting at 20....
- Acting (United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) (1990) - Adrian PangAdrian PangAdrian Pang is a Singaporean Chinese actor who trained at the ARTTS International in Bubwith, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Born in Malacca, Malaysia, he was educated at Anglo-Chinese School, Singapore, and in the United Kingdom. Although he studied law at Keele University, he has not...
- Acting (SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
) (1992) - Jon SenJon SenJon Sen is a British television and film director and writer born in Bradford in 1974.Sen attended Bradford Grammar School between the 1984 and 1992. He read Political Philosophy at Trinity College, Cambridge and graduated in 1995...
- Directing (United Kingdom) (1996) - Sally El HosainiSally El HosainiSally El Hosaini is an Egyptian Welsh screenwriter & film director. She was one of Screen International's UK Stars of Tomorrow 2009.-Filmography:*My Brother the Devil 2012*Camelia 2011...
- Directing (EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
/ United Kingdom) (2001) - Maryam DavariMaryam DavariMaryam Davari , , is an Iranian actress, as well as a member of the Naqshineh Theatre group.She attended the ARTTS International training centre in the UK in 2004.-On stage:...
- Acting (IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
) (2004)
Notable trainers
- Arnold PetersArnold Peters (actor)Arnold Peters is an actor who has played the part of Jack Woolley in the long running BBC radio series The Archers since 1979.He has also made many appearances on TV and in films.Peters lives in the village of Wollaston in Northamptonshire....
(Radio Acting) - Edward PetherbridgeEdward PetherbridgeEdward Petherbridge is a British actor. Among his many roles, he portrayed Lord Peter Wimsey in several screen adaptations of Dorothy L...
(Acting) - John SichelJohn SichelJohn Peter Sichel was a British director of film, stage and television, and, later in life, a film, television, and theatre trainer....