The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school in London, England that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, television, film, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senate House complex of the University of London and is a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. It is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, founded in 1904 by Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. It moved to buildings on Gower Street in 1905. It was granted a Royal Charter in 1920 and a new theatre was built on Malet Street, behind the Gower Street buildings that was opened by Edward, Prince of Wales in 1921. It received its first government subsidy in 1924. RADA currently has five theatres and a cinema. The school’s Principle Industry Partner is Warner Bros. Entertainment.
RADA offers a number of Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses. Its higher education awards are validated by King's College London . The patron of the school is HM Queen Elizabeth II. The president is Sir Kenneth Branagh, who succeeded Richard, Lord Attenborough following his death in 2014. The chairman is Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen and its vice-chairman was Alan Rickman until his death in 2016. The current director of the academy is Edward Kemp.
