Government Minister Wayne Perinchief has declared a plan to open a performing arts academy in Bermuda based on a UK school a “brilliant idea”.

The Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs was at an event to promote the plan at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) on Friday evening, which saw presentations from Nick Williams and Jacqui Pick, the principal and deputy principal of the BRIT School in England.

Mr. Perinchief told The Royal Gazette that he and Education Minister Randy Horton had an “excellent meeting” with Mr. Williams and Ms Pick that day, along with the Bermudian backers of the initiative.

He said: “I think it’s a brilliant idea. It’s an alternative way of teaching people other than the conventional way. It gives children an exposure to a vocational learning environment and vocational learning is something that’s perhaps missing in the Government system at present.

“I give all credit to the people behind it. There seems to be not many institutions in Bermuda that provide for the expression of creative instincts in children. I see this initiative and I’m happy that it’s being driven by people other than the Government. Certainly, Community and Cultural Affairs are in full agreement.

“I can’t speak for the Minister of Education but he has expressed enthusiasm for the concept.”

Opposition MPs David Dodwell and Grant Gibbons were also at Friday night’s event. Mr. Dodwell said: “I think it’s a fabulous idea. Any time that you can bring people with different backgrounds all together for a common cause like this, it’s a wonderful opportunity.

“I look at entertainment in the broadest sense as a great leveller of people. When you can tie it with education, I think you have a win-win situation.”

The Emperial Group of Companies, which includes Spanish Town Entertainment, and businessman Shawn Murphy, are behind the proposal to open a school based on the BRIT on the Island and are looking for financial support.

Glenn Doers, general manager of Spanish Town, said the Menelik Academy for Technology and the Performing Arts would be for children aged 11 to 18 and would hopefully be free.

“We are looking to have it funded from various different donors and foundations and, of course, the Government is welcome to assist but we are not pursuing any financial support from the Government.”

He said it was hoped that an existing building could be renovated and used for the school, which would be aimed at getting children to achieve academically in a creative environment.

“That is what the BRIT school has successfully done. We hope to duplicate that in Bermuda but Bermudianise it.”

Mr. Doers added that the meeting with the two ministers was “very successful” and said the pair were considering visiting the BRIT School, which is in Croydon. Mr. Williams told the audience at the BUEI that he and Ms Pick were “delighted and amazed” to be on an island “so rich in cultural heritage and with so many committed people in terms of the future of the Island”.

Ms Pick said the BRIT School was producing students who were highly-qualified with more than 92 percent achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A* [NOTE]correct[\NOTE] to C.

“I think that one of the reasons for our success is that these academic subjects are very closely allied to the arts subjects,” she added. “The one thing they (the students) have in common is that they have a passion for what they want to do.”