Her career has taken her everywhere from Game of Thrones to the Star Wars galaxy – and now Kate Dickie is gearing up for one of her most ‘exciting’ roles yet.

The award-winning film, TV and theatre actor has been named a Patron of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Junior Conservatoire.

And she hopes to be a champion and positive force for the next generation of actors, filmmakers and production artists, aged 11 to 18, training at Scotland’s national conservatoire.

“It’s so exciting and a huge honour to be named a patron of the Junior Conservatoire of Drama, Production and Film and work with all these brilliant young people and be part of their journey, even in a small way,” said Kate.

“I can’t wait to get to know everyone and to be there to elevate and support them. I’m to be a sounding board if they need advice or want to ask about some of my experiences in the industry. I’d like them to see me as someone like them, who they can relate to and have a laugh with – I don’t want to be a formal figure.”

Dr Marc Silberschatz, Director of Drama, Production and Film at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: “With an extensive and critically acclaimed career in film, theatre and television, Kate Dickie will offer a wealth of experience as patron of our Junior Conservatoire of Drama, Production and Film.

“It is an honour to welcome an artist of her calibre to this role. Her expertise and insights, combined with her warmth and approachability, will inspire young artists to explore their creativity. We are confident her guidance will profoundly impact their artistic journeys.”

Kate studied on the BA in Dramatic Studies, graduating in 1993. She received an honorary doctorate from RCS in 2023 for services to drama. She is passionate about the necessity of arts access for young people, viewing it as critical for their creative development, emotional articulation, and for boosting confidence and resilience.

“The arts are so important and have so many layers – from the straightforward to the more complex. It might be a fun thing to do, a hobby to express yourself and explore characters right down to a more private layer where you get to escape reality because maybe life isn’t that pleasant.

“If you have young people exploring other people’s stories and lives, it helps build a generation that has empathy and understanding for scenarios that aren’t their own. And that can only be a good thing.”

And she says it’s often how young people find their tribe and a sense of belonging: “I remember coming to the Academy and suddenly I was in a community of people who all loved the same thing as me, which allowed us to build friendships quickly. It was brilliant and life-affirming.

“I liked the feeling of being part of something bigger than just me, made my dream seem a bit more realistic rather than just a pipe dream, and that it was something that could be possible, particularly as a working-class person.”

Born in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, Kate moved to Perthshire, Ayr and Dumfries and Galloway due to her dad’s job as a professional gardener.

“Drama was a way of making pals and channelling the imagination I had. I loved it and had a great teacher who was really encouraging and helped me with my audition for the Academy.”

Her studies at RSAMD were formative, and the first time she didn’t feel like a ‘square peg in a round hole’. Looking back, what advice would she share with her younger self – and to aspiring artists today?

“I’d encourage them to own their space, to set boundaries and trust their instincts. And don’t be fearful. There might be different tastes, opinions and interpretations but there really is no wrong way of doing anything.

“I lived in fear of being wrong and being found out that I was awful! I wasted so much time worrying, and I wish I could have been a bit more in the present.”

Kate’s extensive screen credits include Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, Irvine Welsh’s Filth, David Lowry’s The Green Knight and Michael Caton-Jones’s Our Ladies. Recent film projects include British historical rom-com Timestalker and crime drama Damaged.

Television work includes playing the character of Lysa Arryn in Game of Thrones, The Alienist, Boat Story, Disney+ series Loki; The Pillars of the Earth and the award-winning BBC drama Five Daughters.

Theatre highlights include Bad Roads at the Royal Court, directed by Vicky Featherstone, the London production of David Cromer’s award-winning Our Town at the Almeida Theatre and Aalst, at the Soho Theatre London, which toured Australia and the UK with National Theatre of Scotland, for which she was nominated for the Best Actress award by UK Theatre Managers’ Association.

The Junior Conservatoire of Drama, Production and Film offers auditioned courses for children and young people aged 11-18.  Applications for September 2025 entry are now open. Apply at  https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/junior-conservatoire/dpf/

Images: John Young/RCS