About Us

Founded in 1979, The Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre provides quality assurance and membership services to institutions delivering training, education and assessment in the performing arts.

CDMT provides expert guidance and support to professional courses, schools, and teachers, as well as being the first point of contact for employers, students and teachers seeking information about quality education, training and assessment in dance, drama, musical theatre and the performing arts across the UK. It is CDMT’s mission to ensure that all children and young people experience the power of the performing arts, starting with the schools and early years settings where they find their first opportunities, progressing to specialist provision in support of their development into viable and valuable careers. Thus nurturing the pipeline of performers and teachers upon whom the future of the creative sector depends.

CDMT also liaises with government authorities to ensure that its members’ views are represented strongly at all levels of national and international decision making, ensuring that the UK creative industries continue to provide superior opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to develop as artists of the highest calibre.

CDMT is a values-driven charity which acts with integrity and resilience to:

• Embrace diversity, inclusivity and open communication to foster creative and collaborative working relationships in all aspects of our operations
• Treat people with dignity, honesty and respect
• Stay agile and intentional in finding innovative solutions to issues as they emerge, including significant changes to government policy and sector priorities
• Draw on the wide range of trusted research, experience and practice that exists in the education and training community and underpins our commitment to world-class performing arts provision
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement amongst our member institutions, our networks of teaching practitioners, and our central team.

In summary, CDMT:

• Acts as the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Performing Arts Education and Training
• Accredits excellent professional training at full-time dance, drama and musical theatre schools – providing the industry benchmark of quality since 1979
• Validates the world’s leading awarding organisations which offer dance, drama and musical theatre and performing arts qualifications
• Works with Affiliates to develop the highest standards of programme provision across the performing arts
• Recognises, by means of the Recognised Awards Scheme, pre-vocational dance, drama and musical theatre schools and teachers
• Provides membership and other specialist services through the Conference of Professional Schools, Awarding Organisations Committee, Affiliate meetings and Graded Examinations forum
• Manages a substantial public-facing online platform which promotes members and core services, as well as administering two information websites for DaDA and Graded Examinations respectively
• Publishes the UK Guide which is the definitive resource for those seeking information on quality provision in the sector
• Operates a free comprehensive information service for students, parents, teachers, artists and employers