Arcadia England

We're pleased to announce our events program for Spring 2016 students studying in England & Wales.

Free events

Included as part of your orientation

Tower Of London – free event

Tags: Tribes, Life & Death, TraditioN & Innovation

What better way to welcome you to British culture than by taking you back 1000 years into our history? Situated on the bank of the Thames, the tower was founded in 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. It was a fortress during the War of the Roses; it was a prison for Elizabeth I. It is most famed as a place of torture and death (!), but you will learn about its history as a palace of comfort too. The Tower of London is still one of the most popular sites in the UK. And lets not forget, the Crown Jewels.

Billy Elliot - West End Theater – free event

Tags: Tribes, Pop Culture, Beneath The Skin

One of the most celebrated, award-winning musicals on stage today, Billy Elliot has been dazzling London’s West End since 2005, and has gone on to captivate audiences around the world. Set in a northern mining town, against the background of the 1984/’85 miners’ strike, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of a young boy’s struggle against the odds to make his dream come true. Follow Billy’s journey as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family and whole community and changes his life forever. With unforgettable music by Elton John, sensational dance and a powerful storyline, this astonishing theatrical experience will stay with you forever. This show ties into Arcadia’s Life of The Mind theme for this year Protest.

Subsidised Events

Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms

Tags: Life & Death, Traditional, Sensory

This museum comprises the Cabinet War Rooms, a historic underground complex that was home to government command centre during the Second World War. You can also see the Churchill Museum, a museum exploring the life of the then Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.
During the war, two rooms were of particular importance. The map room was constantly in use. The other was the Cabinet Room in which Churchill declared: ‘This is the room from which I will direct the war.’

Stonehenge & Bath day trip

Tags: Sensory, Life & Death, Tribes

Stonehenge

Now a World Heritage Site what visitors see today are the substantial remnants of the last in a sequence of such monuments erected between circa 3000BC and 16000BC. There has always been intense debate over quite what purpose Stonehenge served. A huge effort and great organisation was needed to carry the stones tens, and sometimes hundreds, of miles by land and water and then to shape and raise them. Stonehenge’s orientation in relation to the rising and setting sun has always been one of its most remarkable features.

Bath

Two thousand years ago, with most of the world at their feet, the Romans recognised the unique qualities of Bath and settled here. They chose well. Set in a sheltered valley, surrounded like Rome by seven wooded hills and nourished by Britain’s only natural hot springs, it is a natural haven. An exquisite Georgian city grew from Bath’s ancient roots. The Royal Crescent, The Circus, Pump Room and Pulteney Bridge are among the finest architectural treasures in the world. Indeed, the entire city has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Oxford day trip

Tags: Tribes, Tradition & Innovation, Life & Death

Founded in the 9th century during the Saxon period Oxford became home to the fledgling University of Oxford in the 12th century, becoming the oldest university in the UK. The University rose to dominate the town entirely, and by the middle of the 14th century the history of the town was effectively no more than a footnote to the history of the university. Oxford will surprise, inspire and enchant you with its magnificent architecture, impressive yet intimate colleges, romantic rivers, and hidden nooks and crannies. The whole place has a buzz and a vibrant atmosphere (also the location for several scenes in Harry Potter)

Theater - Ibsen's the Master Builder - Old Vic

Tags: The Underground, Life & Death

The UK, and London in particular, enjoys a rich and varied cultural life. Whether it’s an opportunity to see the works of Shakespeare performed in his own home town, a cutting edge production at the National Theatre, or a fringe event at one of the smaller theatres in London, all provide an opportunity to explore and to see the human experience and British life reflected, and to examine British life in relation to your own attitudes, beliefs and experience. Whether it be a light hearted comedy, a musical, or a more overtly serious piece dealing with the darkness of the human heart Ibsen’s classic has Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter, Grand Budapest Hotel) in the lead role.

Dublin weekend

Tags: Tradition & Innovation, Tribes, Life & Death

In the year of the centenary of the 1916 Easter Uprising, we visit Dublin with an itinerary based around the commemorations and explorations of themes and issues related to the uprising. This joint visit will include students and staff from all the Arcadia centres in the UK & Ireland.
While the 1916 Easter Uprising was an historical event in opposition to British rule in Ireland, this visit will also speak to those who feel oppressed or under an imperial yoke today in the early 21st Century. In this way we will use the memory and the commemoration of 1916 as a starting point for examining and exploring power dynamics in the modern world, whether independence in Scotland, rise of Ukrainian nationalism, the Arab uprising, or British Imperialism, drawing on expertise to support a theme and site visits surrounding this theme. You’ll also have time to explore all of Dublin’s cultural offerings.

Cycle Tour afternoon

Tags: Sensory, Total Immersion, The Underground

Join a professional cycle touring company for a unique perspective on some iconic London sights such as St Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Includes a stop for a drink so please bring money if you want a drink.

Wales Adventure Weekend

Tags: Sensory, Total Immersion, Tribes

During this unique weekend away you’ll stay in a fully catered lodge, be led by experienced and trusted guides, and explore the beautiful Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in Wales. You’ll have the opportunity to explore the natural environment with outdoor hiking. Additionally the weekend will include activities such as sea kayaking, surfing and coasteering.

Windsor Castle day trip

Tags: Life & Death, Tribes, Tradition & Innovation

Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world with approximately 500 residents all year around! It is Queen Elizabeth’s weekend home and is often used for royal functions. The castle is famous for its beauty and its long history. The castle was first built in the 11th century after William the Conqueror and it has been used by monarchs since the reign of Henry I, making it the longest occupied palace in all of Europe. It was originally built to protect London by overseeing the River Thames, but it’s purpose has changed drastically over the course of time. Join us on this visit to marvel at the architecture, and to devour the royal history within.

Sports – Football or Rugby event

Tags: Tribes, Sensory

We’ll be going to watch a British sporting event. You can tell alot about a culture from its sporting activities, both activities associated with sports and from those watching. Each semester we offer an opportunity to observe, and become part of British sporting culture whether through watching a cricket match, football, rugby, tennis or other.