Sussex Downs College 6th Form Centre

Sussex Downs College 6th Form Centre in Lewes won a Centre of Vocational Excellence (C.O.V.E.) Award for Performing Arts in May 2002. Catering for around 700 performing arts students the college offers a wide range of course from Dance, Theatre Studies, Music Technology and Performing Arts & Entertainment Studies across a variety of A, Level, AS Level and GNVQ qualifications.

As a result of their COVE status the college has undertaken the development of a new 2-storey building to house a number of facilities for its music and drama students, including practice areas, performance rooms, changing areas and studios. The building has also been designed to accommodate disabled staff, students and visitors.

The Financial Award from Zero 88 has allowed the college to equip their new facility with the latest lighting control technology in a flexible way, which maximises the use of the performance spaces. The funds have contributed towards 84 channels of networked Chilli pro dimming, which may be split between 1 or 2 performance spaces, as well as an Alcora and a Fat Frog lighting console.

Performing Arts Technician, Karl Thurston-Brown explains “We particularly love the Fat Frog console as it provides for all level of user across our broad range of music and drama courses. The logical and simple approach of the manual and memory functions enables first time users to get to grips with lighting control, whist the more powerful moving light features means that our more technical students can create really sophisticated lighting effects. Its great to be able to cater for such a broad scope of users in one console.”


Images show Karl Thurston-Brown operating the Fat Frog and a group of current students performing “Under Milk Wood”.