The educational company Pearson has partnered with Simon Fuller, the former manager of the Spice Girls who created TV shows including Pop Idol, to launch a new venture called the Academy of Pop targeting the TikTok generation of amateur performers. The first Academy of Popular Performing Arts will launch in Hollywood next year, with “small classes” of students able to participate in person, in daily lessons spanning acting, dance, music and musical theatre. The classes will also be available for students to follow live online. “With the performing arts at the centre of contemporary culture, millions of people are developing talent by performing in person and online, often with no formal training or education,” said Andy Bird, the former chairman of Walt Disney’s international operations who has been the chief executive of Pearson for a year. “This is a real opportunity for innovation in this part of the education space.” An Academy of Pop online platform is in development and further physical locations are planned to be opened around the world over the next two years. “The Academy of Pop will provide an inclusive, immersive, safe platform for performers to develop their skills and find validation with our extraordinary teachers,” Fuller said. “I am delighted to partner with Pearson, to merge the worlds of entertainment and education.” Pearson has invested in the new business through its Pearson Ventures fund. The company also said that more than 2 million students had signed up to Pearson+, the new Netflix-style “all you can eat” educational app launched in the US in July, with about 100,000 paying subscribers. For $14.99 (£10.92) a month, students can get unlimited access to digital textbooks and teaching tools. The app marks Pearson’s digital fightback as students turn away from expensive textbooks to rental services or buying secondhand. Over the last decade, Pearson has been transitioning from a print-dominated group to a provider of digital products and services. Since the arrival of Bird, the company has been focused on building up a digital direct-to-consumer business to shift away from a traditional reliance on schools and universities to distribute its learning products. “Pearson+ has made a promising start,” Bird said. “This is a significant step for Pearson, strengthening our direct-to-consumer offer that will underpin our drive for sustainable growth over the coming years.”