The Chicago High School for the Arts (CHSA) will offer a four-year college preparatory curriculum combined with intensive training in the performing and visual arts. A public high school open to all Chicago residents, CHSA is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009 with 150 freshmen divided among four arts areas: Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts. A new freshman class will be added each subsequent year.
While the details are still being finalized, plans call for locating CHSA within easy access to public transportation. The facility will provide space for rehearsal, performance, classrooms and practice areas for various art forms.
Program
editStudents will be expected to participate in a rigorous program, including five hours of academics, three hours of arts education in their major area and one to four hours of rehearsal/practice per day. The school day will begin at 8:00 a.m. and conclude at 5:00 p.m.
Admission
editEntrance into the school is through a competitive audtion and application process. Students may audition for dance (ballet, contemporary, novice), theatre (acting, musical theatre), visual arts, music (instrumental and voice).
History
editIn 2004, The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust and The Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust convened a group of approximately ten arts and education organizations to discuss the issue of diversity within mid- to large-sized arts organizations in Chicago and specifically the lack of representation in this landscape by professional artists representing the many ethnic communities who call Chicago home.
The Diversity Working Group (DWG) surveyed the Chicago landscape to identify existing educational resources for aspiring young artists across a broad age spectrum, keeping in mind the concentrated, focused training required to prepare young artists for professional careers. Incredible richness within the existing resources in Chicago’s many excellent privately funded community music schools, youth orchestras, university music programs and major cultural institutions was clear. What was not found was a public institution that would provide a comprehensive learning environment with superior training at the high school level – a critical stage in development for the aspiring young artist. This age group stood out as the one area of greatest need and also that with greatest potential for positive impact.
Once it was decided to pursue the idea of an arts high school, the group undertook conversations with key senior administrative members from Chicago Public Schools to assess receptivity and possible options for the creation of an exceptional arts-focused educational institution in Chicago. DWG members conducted site visits and/or spoke to officials at several public and private arts high schools in other cities.
At this time, Renaissance 2010 became an avenue for establishing new schools and offering students and parents a quality choice in education. Civic leaders were identified by the DWG members to help become the executive committee that would lead the project through the application process. The Chicago Board of Education approved the school on October 24, 2007. The executive committee became the founding board of directors of the school. Currently, there are 19 board of directors and an executive director and director of student services have been hired. The school is slated to open fall 2009.
Partnerships
editNumerous community arts programs, professional arts organizations and institutions of higher learning that specialize in the arts have come forward to join with CHSA in making this type of educational experience available to Chicago residents through the public school system. Arts Partners include: Actors Gymnasium, Art Institute of Chicago, Art Resources in Teaching, Auditorium Theatre, Black Ensemble Theater, Chicago Chamber Musicians, Chicago Children’s Choir, Chicago College of Performing Arts/Roosevelt University, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, Columbia College Chicago, Congo Square Theatre Company, Dance Works Chicago, DuSable Museum, Ensemble Español Center for Spanish Dance and Music, eta Creative Arts Foundation, Goodman Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Hyde Park Art Center, Joel Hall Dancers & Center, Joffrey Ballet, Lifeline Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Lou Conte Dance Studio, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Marwen, Merit School of Music, Midwest Young Artists, Muntu Dance Theatre, Music Institute of Chicago, Music of the Baroque, National Museum of Mexican Art, Natya Dance Theatre, Pegasus Players, People’s Music School, Piven Theatre Workshop, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, Ravinia Festival, Redmoon Theater, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, River North Chicago Dance Company, Ruth Page Foundation, Sherwood Conservatory, Sones de Mexico Ensemble, Steppenwolf Theatre, The Theatre School at DePaul University, Urban Gateways, Victory Gardens Theater