ALT opens its new Rock Lititz facility to PCA&D’s LIveX students

The Academy of Live Technology (ALT) at Rock Lititz has opened its newly constructed education facility to students with the start of the academic year. The state-of-the-art building welcomes Pennsylvania College of Art & Design students studying for the Live Experience Design & Production bachelor of fine arts degree. PCA&D partnered with ALT in 2023 to offer this immersive BFA with hands-on technical experience and real-world opportunities. Students majoring in Live Experience Design & Production will take courses at PCA&D’s downtown Lancaster classrooms and will create in the digital labs and the soaring production space of this new ALT building on the Rock Lititz campus. 

“ALT represents a global scale collaboration, melding the strengths and expertise of Rock Lititz, PCA&D, and the British higher education provider Academy of Live Technology, which has provided live production creative, technical and professional skills to students since its founding in 2011,” said Rock Lititz President and CEO Andrea Shirk. “The live entertainment industry has experienced robust growth in recent years, and Rock Lititz is committed to supporting the next generation talent needed to continue creating innovating live experiences.” 

“There is no better place in the USA for the Academy of Live Technology to call home,” said Rachel Nicholson, Head of Institution for Academy of Live Technology worldwide. “Rock Lititz offers a rich community of innovators, experts, industry leaders, rebels, and creators, working on real, high-profile projects. The environment on campus is a perfect place for students to prepare for a career in the industry.” 

“This unique opportunity for our students creates a streamlined college-to-career pathway that will accelerate students’ learning exponentially in this high-demand industry,” said Audry Carter, Interim President of PCA&D. 

An Aug. 23 Grand Opening event was well attended with nearly 200 guests touring the facility. Sen. Robert Casey’s representative offered remarks lauding PCA&D. The event garnered press coverage in the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal, Penn Live, WGAL, and LNP. LNP also did a preview story. And the LiveX trade publication TPI Magazine covered the opening.

The ALT at Rock Lititz facility includes two floors of 22,400 square feet of custom-built classrooms, production space, digital labs, and a students’ common area, with the option of expanding to the third floor to meet future needs. A fourth campus rehearsal studio is also included in the structure, with 5,800 square feet of open space dedicated to offering students hands-on experiences in production technologies, including audio, lighting, and scenic skills. Studio 4 will host student projects, product demonstrations, and technical training sessions. Student classwork is largely hands-on, practicing with the technology currently used for building shows, simulating an actual show experience.

“ALT is our opportunity to impact the level and access of training available within the live entertainment industry, while also exploring new and alternative approaches to the overall college experience,” said Shirk. “Students will become industry professionals on day one, learning next to specialty experts and working on active projects. The hands-on approach, mixed with some traditional classroom access through Pennsylvania College of Art & Design ensures a unique, immersive path for young professionals to earn an education, while also advancing their careers.” 

Recognizing the proximity to the Rock Lititz community and live experience and event production companies in the region, PCA&D added a major in Live Experience Design in 2021 to prepare art and design students for opportunities in this growing industry. 

“We’re excited that PCA&D has created a world-class live experience design degree for our students supported by our partner, ALT at Rock Lititz,” said Jim Warner, Chair of the PCA&D Board of Trustees.  

Interested students and parents may contact  https://connect.pcad.edu/portal/tour_rock_lititz to arrange a tour of ALT. Direct questions can be sent to erollment@academyoflivetechnology.com. To learn more about the Live Experience Design & Production major, visit https://pcad.edu/live-experience/. To learn more about the Academy of Live Technology, visit http://academyoflivetechnology.co.uk/. To learn more about the Rock Lititz community, visit https://www.rocklititz.com.  

The partnership between Pennsylvania College of Art & Design and the Academy of Live Technology offers extended, industry-based learning opportunities to students earning a bachelor of fine arts degree in live experience design and production. Students are engaged in on-site, co-curricular immersive learning and activities on the Rock Lititz campus. The proximity of industry talent at the partnership-based facility on the Rock Lititz campus provides wide access to industry professionals who mentor, appear as guest speakers, and bring serendipitous opportunities for students to work on projects for live events in Lititz and around the world.