Ella Stokes is to receive a scholarship funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation at Birmingham City University’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
She has been awarded a grant by the Foundation which will support her on a degree course in acting. It will cover her course fees over the next three years and has been awarded on the basis of financial need and merit, particularly her singing ability.
She said, “it doesn’t seem real. I’m excited, thrilled and grateful to have been given such an amazing opportunity. I couldn’t be happier about the next three years.”
Ella Stokes grew up in Farnborough, Hampshire. She completed an acting foundation course at Guildford School of Acting before becoming a member of the Lyric Ensemble, a company of 15 actors run by the Lyric Hammersmith.
Commenting on the award, Professor Stephen Simms, vice-principal and head of acting at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, said, “we’d like to thank the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation for this incredibly generous scholarship which will help us to continue attracting the most gifted actor-singers irrespective of their financial circumstances.”
David Grindrod for the the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation added, “I’ve been impressed with the excellent training in actor-musicianship at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the quality of its graduates. I’m delighted the Foundation is supporting a scholarship there, widening access to the arts for talented young people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate.”