Waterbear
WHO WE ARE
WaterBear – The College of Music was founded by music education pioneers Adam Bushell and Bruce John Dickinson. Together they each have more than 30 years’ experience in professional music and 25 years at the highest level of music education. Their relentless dedication to supporting musicians and artists is focused on building sustainable long-term careers.
OUR PURPOSE
The music industry has changed drastically over the past 20 years. Far from being a bad thing, musical output has thrived in that time. While the established industry model has been totally re-invented by young entrepreneurs, music makers have continued to do what they love – create! Even through the global pandemic of the early 2020s, music prospered. New, innovative models to make and consume music have emerged and changed the way we do things yet again. If there’s one thing that these recent events have shown us, it’s that music will survive anything.
There now exists a new, global community of independent, DIY musicians, artists and industry professionals, able to connect with an audience and remain in full control of their career, all the way to stadium level and beyond. There has never been a better time for young musicians to take control of their careers and build an audience. New and exciting ways of making music have emerged, allowing interesting and diverse careers to be constructed within the glorious world of music making.
Just as the music industry has completely transformed, so music education must do the same. The industry demands adaptable professionals and creative thinkers. Here at WaterBear, we give you the capabilities and know-how to think and work outside the box; we celebrate the individual, the unique and the ground-breaking.
An Immersive 360 Experience
At WaterBear, your music education goes far beyond just timetabled lectures and seminars. With bookable one-to-one mentoring tailored to match your goals, career guidance, work experience and industry opportunities, academic support, in addition to on-demand digital content available from every course at WaterBear, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in a rich and rewarding learning journey.
The Music Industries teams are there to support you with artist and band development, A&R, gigs, festivals, and real-world industry experience, and you can book free time in professional rehearsal and recording studios to polish up and record your music.
You’ll be able to choose additional optional classes in areas like music photography, videography, content creation, music theory, self-development, and music management. Add in clubs, societies, live gigs and events at WaterBear’s venues, virtual meetups, networking and industry development weeks, and you’ve got a full 360° music experience.
1-1 Mentoring System
Our unique one-to-one mentoring programme is a key part of the WaterBear experience. All students receive allocated one-to-one mentoring time with a diverse group of industry professionals. Your mentoring sessions can really help you focus on those areas where extra support is needed to improve. The WaterBear mentoring programme is structured to provide one-to-one advice, guidance and support in 3 fundamental areas:
Musical Development
Choose from a team of freelance tutors and mentors, all of whom are on hand to provide specialist subject mentoring to drive the development of a broader skillset. You can cover anything from instrumental and vocal coaching to audio production techniques, primary or additional instrument study, and much more besides – the choice is yours.
Academic Achievement
The learning support team is on hand to help with all aspects of your academic achievement. Whether it be assessment advice, interpreting feedback or strategies for managing your time and focus, the role of this team is to make sure everything makes sense and you’re set up for academic success.
WATERBEAR TIMELINE
We’ve already achieved a lot in our short history, including opening a brand new Sheffield campus in 2023. Take a look below to see what we’ve been up to and what we have planned for the future.
2017
The idea for WaterBear was born over a cup of coffee when Bruce John Dickinson shared his vision for a new kind of music college. He soon brought Adam Bushell on board to help turn the concept into a reality.
2018
WaterBear secured Hanover House in Brighton, and work on the college began, with Jim Saunders leading the interior design. The WaterBear Underground Music Tour launched, travelling to London, Sheffield, Glasgow, and Belfast alongside Damian Keyes. By September, the college welcomed its first cohort of BA (Hons) and master’s students, marking the official launch of WaterBear.
2019
WaterBear continued building partnerships with recording studios and venues across Brighton, giving students free access to professional recording and rehearsal spaces, as well as live performance opportunities in working music venues. A major milestone was reached with the graduation of WaterBear’s first master’s students at Chichester University.
2020
Falmouth University became an official partner of WaterBear, taking a seat on the board. WaterBear also purchased its own live music venue in Brighton, The WaterBear Venue. During the pandemic, teaching and graduation ceremonies were moved online. The college launched a new scholarship in collaboration with guitarist Cory Wong and the band Royal Blood.
2021
The first pioneer cohort of BA (Hons) students graduated as we officially opened the doors to our music venue – the WaterBear Venue on Brighton seafront. We hosted our first successful three-day songwriting camp at The WaterBear Venue with professional songwriters and musicians, and launched a new scholarship award with Carl Cox. WaterBear expanded its team, and our Bond Street building in North Laine was secured for teaching, collaboration, and office space. We also partnered with the band Frogleap to record the Beatles classic Come Together at Abbey Road Studios.
2022
WaterBear held its first official in-person graduation ceremony for BA (Hons) and MA programmes at the historic Brighton Dome, featuring keynote speeches from Frank Turner and Mark Richardson, drummer of Skunk Anansie. The WaterBear Venue in Brighton hosted events as part of The Great Escape Festival. This year also saw the introduction of the Beatport and Damian Keyes scholarships. Royal Blood returned for an exclusive Q&A during Freshers Week.
2023
The Sheffield campus opened on Eyre Lane, in the building formerly home to the iconic Gatecrasher nightclub. WaterBear hosted official Sofar Sounds shows at its Brighton venue and partnered with the ArcTanGent Festival. Two community scholarships were launched in collaboration with Pattern & Push and AudioActive, along with scholarships awarded by The Leadmill and Sheffield metalcore band While She Sleeps. Graduation returned to Brighton Dome, where 500 guests joined the celebration. Joe Talbot from IDLES joined students for an exclusive Q&A during Freshers Week.
2024
WaterBear artists made a national appearance on BBC Breakfast ahead of their debut at Glastonbury. Sheffield celebrated the graduation of its first master’s students, with a keynote speech by Jeremy Pritchard of Everything Everything. New scholarships were introduced in partnership with Tramlines Festival and the Music Venue Trust. WaterBear also hosted A Night of Amy Winehouse, giving students the opportunity to perform alongside Amy Winehouse’s official band, with additional masterclasses from Eddy Thrower and Paul Turner.
2025
WaterBear launched five new scholarship awards for both BA (Hons) and master’s students. The Keeping Music Live (KML) campaign was introduced to highlight the importance of grassroots venues in supporting emerging artists, including a tour in seven cities across the UK. Facilities expanded significantly: the WaterBear Music Bar opened in Brighton in July, Hanover House added three new floors for dedicated creative spaces, and the Sheffield campus extended its Gatecrasher building to include new collaboration and teaching areas.
WATERBEAR VOICES
“I’ve never felt so at home as I do at WaterBear. I feel truly empowered to take my education and my career into my own hands, knowing I have the support of my tutors and peers to help me along the way. Being taught by industry professionals creates this whole energy of professionalism to the course which really helps bolster responsibility and accountability. Something I struggled with in previous forms of education.”
“The thing that makes WaterBear great to me is that we’re always pushed creatively to do whatever we want to do, as a musician that freedom is amazing. WaterBear students also have access to an insane amount of stuff including industry standard practice rooms and recording studios. The staff are also incredibly talented and everyone is working in the field right now. I have never felt as creative as I am now I’m at WaterBear and I feel so supported.”
“I chose to study music business at WaterBear because I run events back home and I wanted to create something massive in Sheffield. Through WaterBear, I got the opportunity to run my own DJ night with other students and had full support from the careers team. I would 100% recommend WaterBear. The connections to the music industry and the people, I’ve been shell shocked at least a hundred times, it is just a great environment.”
LIFE AT WATERBEAR
Photos submitted by our artists and musicians, capturing moments on and off campus during their time at WaterBear.
OUR PARTNERS
We’re proud to partner with a wide range of incredible organisations — from recording studios and music venues to record labels, instrument makers, festivals, charities, and community groups. Each one shares our commitment to supporting the next generation of artists, musicians, and professionals shaping the future of the UK’s creative industries.
