The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is Glasgow’s star factory, a performing arts school with a history that stretches back to the mid-19th century and a global reputation that ranks it consistently among the world’s top .
The story of the Royal Conservatoire begins in 1847, when it was founded as the Glasgow Athenaeum on Buchanan Street. The Athenaeum was established with a broad educational mission: to provide “mental cultivation, moral improvement and delightful recreation to all classes.” Initially, its focus was primarily on music education, but it rapidly became a vital cultural and educational hub in the city. Notably, the author Charles Dickens delivered the inaugural address at its opening, underscoring its early cultural significance.
By 1886, drama had been introduced into the curriculum, expanding the Athenaeum’s artistic remit. In 1929, its music programme was reorganised as the Scottish National Academy of Music, a turning point that marked its rise in national prominence. The institution received royal recognition in 1944 when King George VI granted it permission to become the Royal Scottish Academy of Music.
A formal College of Dramatic Art was established in 1950, cementing drama training as a core part of its mission. Over the ensuing decades, the Academy continued to grow, winning degree-awarding powers in 1993, the first conservatoire in the UK to do so, and later broadening its degree offerings to encompass research and postgraduate study.
In 2011, the institution adopted its current name, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, to better reflect its interdisciplinary breadth - now covering music, drama, dance, production, and film.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is one of the world's top ten institutions for performing arts education according to the QS World University Rankings.
5. Robert Carlyle
After his breakthrough film role in Trainspotting, Robert Carlyle went on to star in The Full Monty, The Beach and 28 Weeks Later. Raised in Maryhill he became involved in theatre at the Glasgow Arts Centre before graduating from RSAMD. He co-founded the theatre company Raindog in Glasgow. Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images
6. Ncuti Gatwa
Born in Rwanda in 1992, Ncuti Gatwa was one of three children brought up by his mother in Edinburgh after the family fled the Rwandan genocide. Gatwa’s passion for acting won him a place at the Royal Conservatoire. He says: “RCS’s approach was very personal. It provides you with opportunities to develop in a way that you can’t in the outside world. I felt very cared for.” The Sex Education star took over the role as the 15th Doctor in Doctor Who. | BBC/Bad Wolf/James Pardon
7. Richard Madden
After moving to Glasgow from Elderslie, Richard began his acting career while a student at RCS. His breakthrough role was as Robb Stark in Game of Thrones and he has gone onto star in films including Eternals, 1917 and Rocketman. Photo: Gareth Cattermole
8. Ruby Wax
The bombastic performer and television personality left a course in psychology at the University of California to move to Glasgow. She had a writing and directing partnership with Alan Rickman and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company before moving into comedy with her own chat show, interviewing stars including Madonna and Pamela Anderson. Photo: steve ullathorne