The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's current building only dates back to 1988, but the institution itself is much older, tracing its origins to the Glasgow Educational Association, founded in 1845 as a rival to Glasgow University. By 1944 it had morphed into the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, which added 'and Drama' to its name in 1968. The RSAMD became the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2011, after it became clear that its focus had broadened from theatre and music to television, technical education and ballet. The RCS is Scotland's busiest performing arts venue, often featuring new events daily from straight drama through musicals, opera, dance, classical, jazz and Scottish music concerts to Plug, its own mini-festival for student composers. Its alumni are a who's who of Scottish musical and dramatic talent: Jack Bruce, Elaine C Smith, Michelle Gomez, David Tennant, James McAvoy, Laura Fraser, Alan Cumming and Bill Paterson are just eight of its better-known graduates. The RCS has no less than five internal performance spaces: Stevenson Hall, the New Athenaeum Theatre, the Guinness Room, the Alexander Gibson Opera Studio and the Chandler Studio. A sixth, Speirs Lock Studio, is in Cowcaddens and specialises in ballet and musical theatre. The closest railway stations are Central and Queen Street, and Cowcaddens and Buchanan Street subway stations are also convenient. Renfrew Street is served by bus routes 3, 6, 6A, 6B, 7, 7A, 10A, 16, 17, 18, 60, 60A, 61, 75, 240X and M3, among others. The nearest car parks are on Cambridge Street and at Buchanan Galleries, and disabled parking is accessible from Hope Street.