Featured performing and visual arts programs of the month

As the school year winds down, we have the opportunity to learn about four exceptional college arts programs. The oldest theater conservatory in the Midwest, The Theater School at DePaul University, remains one of the finest. The Eastman School of Music continues to lead the way as it celebrates 90 years of musical composition, performance, and education. At the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, students have numerous performance opportunities in ballet and contemporary dance, and the faculty at Columbus College of Art & Design is shaping culture and commerce with a focused, flexible curriculum.

Theater: The Theater School at DePaul University

The Theatre School was founded as the Goodman School of Drama in 1925 and joined DePaul University in 1978. Acclaimed as “a legendary training ground” by the Chicago Tribune, The Theatre School is the oldest theatre conservatory in the Midwest and is renowned as one of the top professional theatre training programs in the United States. The school educates and inspires students in a conservatory setting that is rigorous, disciplined, culturally diverse, and that strives for the highest level of professional skill and artistry. The Theatre School accepts only a small fraction of over 1,100 applicants who undertake the stringent admissions process of national auditions and interviews. Current enrollment is approximately 340 students from around the country and several other nations. The faculty/student ratio of one-to-six allows for the continuous interaction and supervision essential for professional theatre training. A majority of the faculty and staff maintain their connections and professional work in all aspects of Chicago’s renowned and thriving theatre industry. Visit the website

Music: Eastman School of Music | University of Rochester

Industrialist, philanthropist, and music lover George Eastman, the founder of Eastman Kodak Company, established the Eastman School of Music in 1921 as the first professional school of the University of Rochester. The original vision of a music school dedicated to the highest levels of artistry and scholarship is still alive and vital through the Eastman School’s numerous creative endeavors. For nine decades, the Eastman School has been one of America’s leaders in musical composition, performance, and education. The School’s tradition of excellence in performance is reflected in its numerous renowned ensembles. Students can hear and perform the full spectrum of music: from opera to jazz, from medieval music to brand-new pieces composed by their fellow students. Today, more than 900 students are enrolled in the collegiate division — about 500 undergraduate and 400 graduate students. They are guided and trained by nearly 100 full-time faculty members. Seven Pulitzer Prize winners have taught at Eastman, as have several Grammy Award winners. Visit the website

Dance: University of North Carolina School of The Arts

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) was founded in 1963, and opened in 1965, to provide gifted, emerging artists with the experience, knowledge, and skills needed to excel in their disciplines and in their lives. As one of the 17 campuses of the University of North Carolina, UNCSA is situated on 74 acres in Winston-Salem, and it signifies academic and artistic creativity and excellence that rivals the most respected arts programs and conservatories in the world. Talented students study with master teachers and guest artists of international renown. Students concentrate in ballet or contemporary dance; however, they study in both areas and have more than 40 performance opportunities a year, including fully mounted productions such as “The Nutcracker.” The University of North Carolina School of the Arts graduates go on to dance with American Ballet Theatre; sing at the Metropolitan Opera; act on Broadway and in film; design Emmy and Tony-Award winning shows; and win student Academy Awards. UNCSA alumni represent the best in the arts today! Visit the website

Visual Arts: Columbus College of Art & Design

From its inception in 1879, Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) has believed in the power of art and design to shape both culture and commerce, while helping to shape students for professional careers in the arts. Home to about 1300 students who study in a variety of undergraduate and graduate majors, CCAD offers programs that include business preparation and project-based experiences through entities like the CCAD MindMarket. Now, a focused, curriculum architecture features a new innovative approach that starts students in their chosen major during their very first semester. At the same time, students have the flexibility to change without penalty to any other major at CCAD for up to 3 semesters, or 4 semesters if they stay in the same school (the School of Design Arts or the School of Studio Arts), or 5 semesters if they start one of the forthcoming, newly-launched programs incubated within their current major. The mission statement here is clear and direct: To think. To do. To reflect. To unleash your power to shape culture and commerce. Visit the website

See what specialized college arts consulting can offer with former college deans of admissions at ArtsBridge. Refine and match your talents to the best college arts environment for you, and receive personalized guidance in Theater, Music, Dance, or Visual Arts.

The Musical Theater program is filled, but there may be a couple of last-minute openings for the Dramatic Acting program at ArtsBridge Summer 2014!