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The Idyllwild Arts Academy education is full of opportunities, guided arts training, and room for each individual’s personal growth. No matter how one’s journey begins or continues, the Academy’s faculty and staff are eager to welcome students back and are planning an immersive arts experience that will help students realise their potential and thrive as citizen artists.
In these uncertain times, the Academy’s efforts are focused on ensuring a safe and healthy return from summer for students and teachers.
“The Idyllwild Arts community is resilient and our resolve is strong,” says Idyllwild Arts Academy President and Head of School Pamela Jordan. “We will come through the COVID-19 crisis.”
Physical distancing, requiring masks to be worn in public places or in the presence of others and daily questioning of students and staff to verify that they are free of coronavirus symptoms will be practical means of making good on Jordan’s determination.
Additional safety precautions will include implementing more frequent cleaning throughout campus, evaluating classroom spaces, class size, and establishing isolation protocols. Ongoing evaluation of living and common spaces and adherence to regional, local and national guidelines for schools will be meticulous. To accommodate these health and safety measures, even with an on-campus experience, some courses that are amenable to online platforms will be moved online.
Best school for the arts in the US
Named the Best School for the Arts in America in the 2020 Niche rankings, Idyllwild Arts Academy has a longstanding reputation for inspiring learners and creating leaders.
The Academy is best known for its idyllic 205-acre forested campus nestled in Southern California’s majestic San Jacinto Mountains.
Alumna Amber Pairis remembers the campus as the start to her successful career in environmental science.
“I was lucky to grow up in Idyllwild and be surrounded by nature my whole life,” Dr. Pairis says.
Her intensive practical education at Idyllwild Arts Academy helped her to blend her love of nature with her love of science and the arts:
“Having a degree or a background in arts has helped me to see the world differently and made me a better scientist.”
Now, as Director of the Climate Science Alliance (South Coast), Dr. Pairis invites students to participate in the annual Youth Climate Challenge, where they can investigate climate strategies and formulate action plans to implement in their spheres of influence.
Source: Idyllwild Arts Academy
A virtual artistic community
To help sustain the global reputation that attracts students from dozens of different countries, the Academy made its curriculum available online this past April, after an abundance of caution had led to closing the campus. This fall, the curriculum will remain available online to students who have difficulty in reaching the U.S. for the start of classes on September 1.
Like many Idyllwild Arts Academy parents, Vanessa Sayos del Castillo from Spain was apprehensive about this sudden shift from offline to online lessons.
After witnessing her daughter’s online lessons and attending the online student choreography concert, she knew the Academy was the right choice for her child.
“I was pleasantly surprised with the presentation and very happy to confirm once again how worthwhile it is to have Gabi at Idyllwild Arts,” Vanessa says. “I’m so grateful to the Academy for not giving up on the circumstances and finding a way for the kids to express their precious and singular look at the world.”
Source: Idyllwild Arts Academy
Big changes for Summer
For the first time, the annual Idyllwild Arts Summer Program is going online.
Since May, students and parents have been able to tune in from the comfort of their homes to attend virtual workshops that cater to a range of creative interests. These workshops last from one day to two weeks depending on the topic, and take place via Zoom, enabling global access.
All Summer Program disciplines — acting, musical theatre, theatre design, creative writing, dance, visual arts, filmmaking and more — are represented in this unique online experience.
Workshops will include Digital Photography, Ballet and Modern Dance, Electronic Music Production, Native American Arts and Songwriting (for adults and teens).
The online Summer Program has even expanded into new areas with the addition of workshops in English as a Second Language (ESL and Arts), Math Lab and Culinary Arts.
Registration for these workshops is open now.
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