Props and Costume Accessories for Theatre and TV for 15 – 17 Year Olds
- Level(s) of Study: Short course
- Course Fee:
£545
- Start Date(s): 20 July 2026
- Duration: Monday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm, one week
- Study Mode(s): Part-time
- Campus: City Campus
- Entry Requirements: More information
Introduction:
Course dates:
20 - 24 July 2026, Monday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm, one week
Get hands on experience of designing, casting, mold making and paint effects to fabricate realistic props and accessories for theatre performance and TV.
This practical and fun course is ideal if you’re interested in finding out what it’s like working behind the scenes on a theatre or TV production to bring characters to life.
It’s also Ideal if you're considering further studies and wish to start your portfolio with a unique creative project.
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You’ll be part of a design community in our creative studio culture; one that promotes discussion and collaboration, and encourages experimentation and the constant swapping of ideas. -
With a limited class size you'll have the one-to-one attention you need to ensure you leave with the skills to continue developing your portfolio. -
Benefit from learning with an experienced tutor who has established links to the profession and significant experience working in varied practices. -
On successful completion of the course you will receive a certificate of attendance.
Doing your Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential Award?
This course can count as your Gold DofE Residential Award and is an amazing opportunity to make new friends and memories. It will be fun and gently challenging, allowing you to follow your passion and discover talents you never knew you had.
DofE participants must book both the course and accommodation on campus for this to count towards your Gold Award.
You must also attend the social events that are planned on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and you must plan and attend your own social activities with other participants on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
What you’ll study
On this course you will design and create a character, producing a prop and a piece of costume that could be used in a scene on stage or screen.
You’ll create a sculptural accessory for your character, to be worn on the body, considering the realism of the piece and using breakdown techniques to give the item a history.
You’ll design and make a sculptural head piece, developing the features of the piece based on your character.
Working from an industry style brief, to design you character you will learn about research and context to create a backstory for your character.
Observing professional Prop and Costume makers work, you’ll learn about the processes needed from initial sketches and prototypes to finished piece.
During this course, you will:
- create your own designs and consider how to make them into believable props
- turn your 2D designs into 3D structures
- make a model headdress that can be made into a mould based on your designs
- create realistic textures with various materials to mimic skin, scales, and metal
- work in 3D create a model, mold and cast replica adding paint effects
- use paints, dyes and breaking down techniques to add age and distress to your pieces.
By the end of the course you’ll have unique and imaginative 3D pieces as well as designs and samples that demonstrate character development, decorative techniques and realism for theatre and TV.
You’ll leave with the experience of working with various Industry materials and a variety of tools and techniques and you will have lots of process Images for your portfolio.
Social events
We appoint NTU Student Ambassadors who host social events on Monday and Wednesday evening to help you make friends across the whole of our summer school programme for 15-17 year olds, which are free to attend.
How you’re taught
This course will be delivered in person on Nottingham Trent University.
Contact hours
You will receive 25 contact hours of quality tuition with an experienced tutor.
Careers and employability
The course is designed to give you a real experience of university life, make new friends who share similar interests and develop your portfolio so that ultimately, you can make an informed decision about your future.
On successful completion of the course, you will receive a certificate of attendance, which will further enhance your CV.
Campus and facilities
You will be based in the Nottingham School of Art and Design on the City Campus.
You'll find bright drawing and painting studio and workshop spaces to develop your ideas and create exciting work.
You’ll also have access to our library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can’t reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing.
You will receive an email one week before the course starts with joining instructions on where to go for the first day.
Entry requirements
You should have an enthusiasm for props and costume and be interested in developing your creative and technical skills.
You must be 15, 16 or 17 years old at the time of the course in order to attend.
Fees and funding
The fee for this course is £545.
Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include great benefits such as the use of our modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course.
All your materials and equipment will be provided, but you may also want to bring with you:
- A note pad and pen
- A sketchbook (A4 or A3)
- A mobile phone or camera for taking photos - useful but not essential
- optional: you can bring any sewing supplies or accessories to include anything you’d like to work with.
You can read the terms and conditions of booking here.
Need accommodation?
Accommodation can be booked separately to the course; the rooms are only a few minutes’ walk from our studios and classrooms, and cost £266 per week, which is ideal if you're looking to be based in Nottingham's lively city centre and want an economical place to stay.
These are single rooms with a private bathroom in shared apartments in Nottingham Trent University’s city campus accommodation.
If you're aged 16 or 17 then you can stay unaccompanied with agreement from a parent/guardian (to support safeguarding, all guests aged 16 and 17 will be accommodated together in the same halls of residence and there is a dedicated Warden available).
If you're aged 15 then you can stay as long as you are accompanied by a parent/guardian (you must book two separate rooms and let us know so we can place you in rooms next to each other).
This option is particularly popular with students completing their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential Award.
Find out more and book your accommodation here.
How to apply
You can book this course via the NTU online store:
20 - 24 July 2026, Monday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm, one week
Browse all our summer courses for 15 – 17 year olds.
Any questions?
Contact the short course team:
- Email: creativeshortcourses@ntu.ac.uk
- Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2813
