4 innovative Art Schools that will hone your creative flair

“To create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage.” – Georgia O’Keeffe

With STEM-based initiatives rolling out across worldwide industry and education, the need to nurture creativity and innovation has never been more pressing. While ignorance and often prejudice may cause many to view the arts as nothing more than pleasant distractions, an increasing number of neuroscientists, psychologists and educators are showboating the incredible value the arts can bring to global culture and societies.

In a feature for The Huffington Post, John M. Eger, the Inaugural Zahn Professor of Creativity and Innovation, highlights that professionals are identifying more and more ways in which the arts help nurture the brain’s right hemisphere, noting that this is exactly what a more scientific, or left-brained curriculum, needs in order to harness brand-new thinking skills that lead to creativity.

“Indeed,” he explains, “it is becoming increasingly apparent that arts initiatives will be the hallmarks of the most successful schools and universities and, in turn, the most successful and vibrant 21^st century cities and regions.”

The ultimate power of great visual art, literature, film, theatre and beyond, is that they could carry us to a new time and place, even brand-new cultures. The most iconic works of art have even been known portray our own identity and the role of our communities through an entirely different lens. Seeing Beckett’s Waiting for Godot shows us that unconventional, refined and profound use of language has the ability not just to sustain, but inflame human interest, even with a lack of plot that prevents anything physically happening. Meanwhile, interpreting the stirring, black and white portraits of Dorothea Lange, which date back to the 1930s and 40s, inspires empathy between us and our predecessors as we imagine the trials of life in America through the Great Depression.

“A permanent fact of life is that a new economy is emerging and it is huge,” Eger adds. “It is an economy requiring creativity, imagination and innovation. It is an economy that is global, technology-driven and knowledge-based,” he says. “There is a trend here, like a tsunami really, shaping our world and our workforce as never before.

“…The stimulus and all the federal policies in the world will not help if all we do is prop up the old economy,” Eger concludes. “It is rather the new economy, the creative and innovative economy, begging for attention.”

So, if you’re seeking an elite higher education opportunity that will help hone your creative flair, here are 4 innovative art schools that will help you do just that…

LASALLE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS – SINGAPORE

At LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore, you might find yourself performing on stage for the Singapore International Festival of Arts, presenting an exhibition in collaboration with universities from Korea and China, or working on projects with A-list companies such as Lucasfilm, Porsche Design, and TAG Heuer — just to name a few! This leading contemporary arts and design institution, located in the heart of Asia’s flourishing creative industries boasts a practice-led, industry-focused approach, ensuring students are plugged into the local and international arts scene.

With over 30 diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes on offer, LASALLE is one of the few tertiary arts institutions in the world to house all art forms under one roof in an award-winning integrated campus, located conveniently in Singapore’s downtown arts and heritage district. This unique learning environment encourages interdisciplinary interaction that sparks creative collisions and innovation, whether between film students seeking acting talent from the Faculty of Performing Arts, or fine artists working with media artists to explore cutting-edge technology.

The success of the school is in the success of its graduates: LASALLE alumni have gone on to exhibit at the Venice Biennale, co-produce and direct films selected for Cannes Film Festival, perform on Broadway and the West End, and even lead a team behind the special effects for blockbusters like Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. As the arts scene in Asia takes off, LASALLE is well-positioned to help students take their first confident steps into the industry.

Find out more and apply now at lasalle.edu.sg

VICTORIAN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS (VCA), UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE – AUSTRALIA

Consistently in pursuit of artistic excellence, innovation and an absorbing education, the VCA at the University of Melbourne is committed to providing a transformative learning experience for every unique student. The College harbours a dynamic atmosphere rife with critical confidence and creative risk-taking, not to mention high expectations when it comes to the development of dexterity and skill.

The VCA perfectly delivers an expansive catalogue of creative disciplines, including: Arts and Community Practice; Dance; Film and Television; Music Theatre; Production; Theatre; Visual Art; and Writing. The School whole-heartedly encourages students to experiment and explore every subject they encounter, providing a breadth and depth of undergraduate, graduate and short course provisions that allow a fusion of immersive training and critical investigation, giving students the chance to forge inventive collaborations and high individual achievement.

Located in the arts precinct of Southbank, the VCA lies at the heart of Melbourne’s artistic life. It’s a buzzing, vibrant community filled with artists and artistic professionals, as well as students and staff who are committed to upholding the highest aspirations for contemporary cultural life. By encouraging an atmosphere of trust and respect, on top of a learning approach impelled with curiosity, the VCA teaches students to value achievement, to learn from failure, and to build resilience in an increasingly complex world.

SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN (SCAD) – HONG KONG

Described as the University for Creative Careers, SCAD offers more degree programmes and specialisations than any other art and design university in the region. With more than 40 programmes to directly match your passion, and an expansive portfolio of 70 minors and certificate programmes, SCAD offers world-class degrees in four distinct locations – including Atlanta, Hong Kong, Lacoste and Savannah – and via online learning.

By fostering a culture of continuous improvement, the University seeks to be a world leader in art and design education. Each location offers a specified set of programmes specifically-tailored to suit its unique urban backdrop. No matter where you choose to base your studies, you’ll have the chance to explore them all by opting to pursue foundation studies, general education courses, electives and more in any of SCAD’s unforgettable campus settings.

With so many exciting things in store for creative industries worldwide, there’s never been a better time to discover the world while launching your artistic career. As a student at SCAD, you can take advantage of once-in-a-lifetime study abroad options, from short-term trips and excursions, to a full, quarter-long immersion in the picturesque landscape of Lacoste, France.

FACULTY OF ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE – AUSTRALIA

With sharp focus on excellence in teaching, learning and research, the Faculty of Arts at the University of Adelaide has a long-held tradition of producing graduates with the skills and knowledge needed to make a difference in the 21^st century world. As a diverse, creative Faculty with a history that spans more than 135 years, Adelaide’s Faculty of Arts is dedicated to exploring and researching the key contemporary social and political issues of our day.

With a rich degree portfolio that’s as intriguing as it is challenging, Adelaide gives creatives the tools needed to impact society in the most positive way. The fundamental aim of the Arts at Adelaide is to help students think, research and articulate ideas far more clearly and rigorously than ever before, granting them the intellectual prowess and academic capabilities needed to thrive within a creative career.

On top of being able to interact with some of industry’s best and brightest, students can also choose to study overseas with one of many University partners via the Adelaide Abroad Program, or even complete an internship with a company best suited to their interest. All these combine to make Adelaide’s arts graduates some of the most sought-after in the world.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

Liked this? Then you’ll love these…

Graduate outcomes for creative students

The importance of performing arts in an interconnected world