Before she graduated, we asked Viviana, one of our Drama students living on campus to share her favourite things about living in Canterbury.
Hello, my name is Viviana, and I’ve just finished my final year as a Drama and Film student at the University of Kent. Canterbury is a beautiful place with many places to see and visit, especially if you are a nature lover and a theatre and film lover like myself which is what I loved about living on campus at Kent. There are many forests, lakes, and hills on the university’s campus and in Canterbury in general. Also, if you are a lover of the sea, there are places like Whitstable, Herne Bay and Dover which are easily accessible using the bus that stops on campus that are worth being explored.
On-campus, there are rehearsing spaces in the Jarman building and Eliot Hall. The Grimond Building, which consists of two theatre spaces, the Aphra and Lumley and of course an actual theatre and film space, the Gulbenkian, which is a venue, open not just students but everyone to watch films (spacious screening venue), visiting speakers (big theatre rooms), concerts, festivals, events, workshops, and live comedy supporting many performers in Canterbury. There are also music rehearsal spaces in the Gulbenkian which students can book to practice as well as a big concert hall. The prices for students are usually lower for most events, and they always come up with special seasonal offers. You can also pay for a GulbCard Student membership only for five pounds to get more discounts and special prices for the year.
Another big theatre in the town’s centre is The Marlowe Theatre. This venue holds a lot of historical value since it was named after the playwright Christopher Marlowe, a well-known poet and playwright of the Elizabethan era born in Canterbury, Kent. Both the Gulbenkian and The Marlowe have Youth Companies providing creative classes for young people from seven to twenty-five years old. There is also the Curzon and Odeon cinemas in Canterbury’s town centre. The Curzon is a beautiful cinema space, with three screens, a café and a bar usually playing a range of independent films from all over the world and other events such as live opera, ballet, and theatre broadcasts. The Odeon cinema offers big filming screens and saver tickets on special days and for students. It also provides new coming and ‘just released’ films and big Hollywood productions. So, if you are a big theatre and film lover like myself, or if your degree is relevant to the arts, there are many places to explore and visit here in Canterbury, both on and off-campus.
If you haven’t already, there’s still time to apply for accommodation. Plus we’re guaranteeing all Clearing students who request accommodation to receive a room offer for September 2021. Find out more about the benefits of living on campus.