The Piece Hall Academy
The Piece Hall is committed to supporting the future of arts and culture in the region.
As part of this, in early 2024, The Piece Hall Academy was launched, an umbrella term for a number of free programmes to help train, educate, support and develop the next generation of creatives.
The Academy provides short courses, long term mentoring, industry experience days and work experience placements, to upskill young people, increasing job opportunities and helping to create sustainable careers in music, performance, recording, production and live events.
The Academy is run by The Piece Hall’s Programme and Events Director Aaron Casserly-Stewart who has over 30 years’ experience in the music industry. His credits include being a jazz vocalist, former singer with the three-time Grammy Award winning group The Sounds of Blackness, business manager for Erik “Blu2th” Griggs, Chair of Jazz North and former Vice-Chair of Leeds Conservatoire.
For more details on any of The Academy’s opportunities please email info@thepiecehall.co.uk
Live Events Training
The Academy offers live events training, with work placements on the Live at The Piece Hall series.
Areas covered include sound engineering, lighting design and operation, rigging and stage design, event safety and management and production management, all with hands-on practice.
Live at The Piece Hall 2025 saw placements for trainees on every one of the 36 gigs.
Music Masterclasses
The Academy delivers two-week artist residencies, in conjunction with Calderdale College and Calderdale Music, where young people work with star mentors and tutors who are leaders in their musical fields.
The aim is to give students real world training, knowledge and experience culminating in the release of a track.
The first masterclasses took place in March 2024 when multi-award-winning international producer from Dr Dre’s Aftermath production house Erik “Blu2th” Griggs was welcomed to Halifax.
This gave 40 young people world class music industry training, bringing potentially life changing outcomes and opportunities. The first music single to be produced as part of this course City Lights was released in February 2025 on all major streaming platforms.
The next music masterclass is currently in the planning stages.
Artist Development
Emerging and aspiring artists have the opportunity to be managed and mentored by highly experienced music industry manager and Academy Director Aaron Casserly-Stewart.
Performers are coached and supported through facilitated rehearsals, gigs and recording sessions.
They are promoted, helped with marketing and given training on all business aspects of the music industry, such as publishing deals and contracts.
The aim of the programme is to get artists gigging, releasing music and ultimately signed to record labels to allow sustainable career development.
The Academy is cuurently working with two bands: The Caymans, and Lizard County. The Caymans next single which has been produced by Tom Chapman from New Order is due for release soon. Material from Lizard County is also on the way!
Industry Experience Days
The Piece Hall offers music industry experience days for students in Years 10–13 through its partnership with Calderdale Music and Roland UK.
These opportunities provide a behind-the-scenes insight into high profile live music events, allowing students to shadow professionals both before and during the gigs .
Past placements have offered single day experiences for young people aged 14 -18 at Live at The Piece Hall shows including gigs from comedian Bill Bailey, Jungle, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Busted, Deftones, The Libertines, Gary Barlow, Faithless, Texas and The Script.
Applications are actively encouraged from those groups currently underrepresented in live events, helping widen participation for minorities in the creative industries and opening doors for young people who don’t have the background and networks which can open the doors for them.
