Arts-Focused CPS High Schools

With access and exposure to all disciplines, students are provided a strong foundation for college, career and life at Art in Motion (AIM). Students will master artistic processes to create, perform, present, respond and connect as a path to their identity. It is this foundation of understanding and realization upon which students can build their identities and realize their potential to contribute to the arts arena beyond high school. Meaningful and experiential encounters with art provide students with ways to make sense of their world and make connections between disparate ideas, while also making connections between themselves and others.

We are a creative arts school. We value creativity, and support out-of-the-box thinking and multiple perspectives. Our students are equipped for the future they choose—academically, artistically, and socially through strong foundational art skills, identity work, and social emotional pathways for each learner.

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Art in Motion School.

Additional Information: Please see the “admissions” portion of Art in Motion’s School Profile on GoCPS for more details on admission requirements for Art in Motion’s Fine & Performing Arts program.

The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) develops the next generation of diverse, artistically promising scholar-artists through intensive pre-professional training in the arts, combined with a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum. ChiArts offers conservatories in dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and creative writing. 

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to ChiArts. 

Additional Information: Please see the Audition Requirements section of the ChiArts website for details on audition requirements for each program, including how to submit materials. Please note: all audition materials must be submitted digitally.

Dance

The ChiArts Dance Conservatory is designed to give dancers a strong foundation in classical ballet, modern dance techniques, and exposure to a variety of dance styles that will be beneficial in their journey to the professional stage. Our scholar-artists receive professional training from top-notch faculty who are globally recognized teachers, performers, and choreographers.

Creative Writing

Students in the ChiArts Creative Writing Program undergo rigorous study to learn the foundations of writing and the development of individual voice and polished work. The program will consist of training in the elements of Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

Music – Voice

The Music Conservatory at ChiArts provides students of varying levels of previous musical training with an intensive and comprehensive course of study in vocal music, with a concentration on classical and jazz genres. Students study music theory, music history, including non-Western forms, aural skills, music technology, and choir. Vocal performance majors receive training in vocal techniques, experience in ensembles, keyboard skills, acting, and movement. All music students also participate in a Professional Development seminar during their senior year in order to reflectively prepare themselves for success in the next steps of their musical journeys.

Music – Instrumental

The Music Conservatory at ChiArts provides students of varying levels of previous musical training with an intensive and comprehensive course of study in instrumental music, with a concentration on classical and jazz genres. Students study music theory, music history, including non-Western forms, aural skills, music technology, and choir. Instrumental performance majors undertake rigorous study of the technique and repertoire of their instrument through classes and ensembles. All music students also participate in a Professional Development seminar during their senior year in order to reflectively prepare themselves for success in the next steps of their musical journeys.

Theatre – Acting

The ChiArts Theatre Conservatory offers a rigorous program of instruction at the highest artistic and academic level. The program has a mission to prepare students for admission into competitive college/university programs and/or to work in the profession. Students in the Theatre Conservatory have the unique experience of working with a range of artists from the Chicago theatre community, giving them unique insights into and experiences with professionals in the field. The Acting major focuses on a progression of study that includes acting, voice and speech, movement, history of theatre practice and literature, stage production and design, periods and styles, and devising new work.

Theatre – Musical Theatre

The ChiArts Theatre Conservatory offers a rigorous program of instruction at the highest artistic and academic level. The program has a mission to prepare students for admission into competitive college/university programs and/or to work in the profession. Students in the Theatre Conservatory have the unique experience of working with a range of artists from the Chicago theatre community, giving them unique insights into and experiences with professionals in the field. The Musical Theatre major works with faculty from the Theatre, Music and Dance conservatories, and focuses on a progression of study that includes acting, vocal technique, dance, music theory, keyboard, chorale, the history of musical theatre practice and literature, stage production and design, and devising new work. 

Visual Arts

The Visual Arts program at ChiArts begins with foundational instruction, including an emphasis upon essential art making skills and understandings, and progresses toward more complex concepts, including critical analysis of visual culture and the fostering of independent work. The program challenges and empowers students to develop their own aesthetic as each matures into an innovative artist and critical thinker. 

Collins Academy is a neighborhood Fine & Performing Arts Magnet Cluster high school located in the North Lawndale community.

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Collins High School. 

Additional Information: Please see the “Admissions” and “Programs” sections of Collins High School’s School Profile for more details on their Fine & Performing Arts programming and admission requirements.

Collaboration ~ Community ~ Creativity ~ Excellence: Curie is committed to providing an integrated arts education that will foster a foundation for a lifelong relationship with the arts. A magnet school, Curie High School offers rigorous study and studio experiences in dance, music, and visual arts.

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Curie High School. 

Additional Information: Please see the Fine Arts section of Curie’s website for details on audition requirements for each program, including how to submit materials. Please note: all audition materials must be submitted digitally.

Dance

Curie’s Dance Department offers an internationally-acclaimed dance major for students entering academic grades 9–12. For SY21-22, admission to the School’s dance program is by virtual audition.

Music: Voice

Students of all abilities and levels of experience may audition for admission into the Voice program. Curie recognizes the need to provide opportunities for students who have high levels of musical training and for students who have not had training in a formal setting, but demonstrate strong natural ability and a desire to learn.

Music: Instrumental

Students of all abilities and levels of experience may audition for admission into the Instrumental program. Curie recognizes the need to provide opportunities for students who have high levels of musical training and for students who have not had training in a formal setting, but demonstrate strong natural ability and a desire to learn.

Visual Arts

Students of all abilities may interview for admission into the Visual Arts program. Curie recognizes the need to provide opportunities for students who have had prior instruction in the visual arts and students who have not had prior training, but demonstrate a strong natural ability and a desire to learn.

Disney II High School is a Fine & Performing Arts Magnet high school located in the Irving Park neighborhood.

SY20-21 Informational Sessions: 11/8/2020

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Disney II High School. 

Additional Information: Please see the Open House for Prospective Students section of the Disney II website for more details on their Digital Open House as well as admission requirements for Disney II’s Fine & Performing Arts program.

Dyett offers several arts pathways: Dance, Digital Media, Music – Instrumental, Music – Vocal, Theatre, and Visual Arts.

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Dyett HS.

Additional Information: Please see the Apply Here section of Dyett’s website for details on admission requirements for Dyett’s Fine & Performing Arts program.

Dance

Students will learn the performance art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement. This movement has aesthetic and symbolic value in the form of Ballet, Tap, Hip Hop, Modern, African, Jazz, Latin, Swing, and many more.

Digital Media

Students will learn how to effectively create, distribute and modify web content. This includes digital imagery, digital video, video games, web pages and websites. This also includes social media (data and databases) as well as digital audio (Mp3s and e-books).

Music: Instrumental and Vocal

Students will learn the art form and cultural activity whose medium is sound and silence. The common elements of music are pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics (loudness and softness), and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture (which are sometimes termed the “color” of a musical sound). Different styles or types of music may emphasize, de-emphasize or omit some of these elements. Music is performed with a vast range of instruments and with vocal techniques ranging from singing to rapping, and there are solely instrumental pieces, solely vocal pieces and pieces that combine vocal and instruments.

Theatre

Students will learn this collaborative form of fine arts that uses live performers to present the experience of real or imagined events before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music, and dance.

Visual Arts

Students will learn art forms such as painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, design, photography, printmaking, crafts, photography, video, filmmaking and architecture. Artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and textile arts involve aspects of the visual arts, as well as arts of other types. Applied arts such as graphic design, fashion design, industrial design, interior design and decorative art are also included within the visual arts.

Julian High School is the only Fine and Performing Arts Magnet Cluster program on the far south side, providing access to a high-school arts pathway to youth throughout the area. Julian currently offers: Music Production, Visual Arts, Marching Band, Broadcast Technology/Video Production, Digital Media/Graphic Design, and Spoken-Word Poetry. The addition of Drama/Theatre is anticipated.

Julian offers a number of College and Career Pathways through the arts, including Dual Credit courses and professional certifications.

Julian is also committed to arts integration across the curriculum, prioritizing the arts as a platform for student learning in all content areas. 

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Julian HS.

Additional Information: Please see the Admissions section of Julian High School’s Profile for details on their Fine & Performing Arts programming and admission requirements.

The arts are essential to the Hermosa neighborhood, and we are at the heart of Hermosa. The Fine & Performing Arts program at Kelvyn Park Junior and Senior High School offers students a robust arts education experience and an integrated program of study in theory and practice exploring the power of artistic communication for personal expression and public interaction. 

KPH not only boasts a well rounded selection of arts courses, but also arts-integrated non-arts courses. The program provides students with the means to pursue this exploration through courses that provide the practical hands-on learning skills within the contexts of creation in a variety of media, performance and presentation, connecting with art through guided reflection and responding art.

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Kelvyn Park HS.

Additional Information: Please see the Admissions section of Kelvyn Park High School’s Profile for more details on their Fine & Performing Arts programming and admission requirements.

Lincoln Park High School is a neighborhood high school that offers magnet programs in theatre, music, and visual arts. 

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Lincoln Park High School. 

Additional Information: Please see the Magnet Programs page of Lincoln Park High School’s website for more details on audition requirements for each program, including how to submit materials. Please note: all audition materials must be submitted digitally.

Drama

The Drama Program at LPHS gives students the opportunity to study drama and acting for four years within the context of a college preparatory curriculum. Drama I includes the study of public speaking, oral interpretation of classical literature, improvisation, and the study of classic American plays. Drama II studies history of the theater (both Western and non-Western) and acting techniques and schools. Drama III and IV study production, directing, and theater management.

Music – Voice and Instrumental

The Instrumental Music and Vocal Music Programs at LPHS reflect a long tradition of music excellence and achievement within the context of a college preparatory curriculum. The Band, Orchestra, and Vocal Music groups have received the highest ratings in both city and state competitions over the past decade. The curriculum is designed to permit the serious music student the opportunity to, and challenge of, advancing through a fully-articulated four-year program.

Visual Arts

LPHS’s Visual Arts program, now available as a magnet program, teaches students to develop as independent artists through a variety of course offerings, including Mixed Media, Drawing & Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Design, Digital Photography, IB Visual Arts, AP Studio Art, 2D Design, 3D Design and/or Drawing. Students in 11th and 12th grades can also participate in the IB Career-related Visual Arts Program.

Multicultural Arts High School is a neighborhood Fine & Performing Arts high school located in Little Village/Pilsen.

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Multicultural Arts High School. 

Additional Information: Please see the “Admissions” and “Programs sections” of Multicultural Arts High School’s Profile for more details on their Fine & Performing Arts programming and admission requirements.

Nicholas Senn High School (“Senn Arts”) offers magnet programs with a sequence of coursework in music, dance, theatre and visual arts that promote depth and technique development in the arts.

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Senn High School.

Additional Information: Please see the Admissions page of the Senn Arts website for more details on audition requirements for each program, including how to submit materials. Please note: all audition materials must be submitted digitally.

Dance

Senn Arts Dance offers a comprehensive variety of performance and theory-based courses including four years of performance-based technical skills courses, an examination of choreography, dance history, and production design, and a rigorous physical practice emphasizing proper conditioning, technique, and nutrition. The Senn Arts Dance program seeks to transform young dancers into powerful and expressive artists with the skills and versatility to perform in a variety of dance genres. Additionally, our partnerships with members of the Chicago dance community allow students the opportunity to work firsthand with dance professionals to gain practical insight into the inside workings of the dance world.

Music

The Senn Arts Music program is the premiere program for the study of contemporary music in the city of Chicago. The goal of Senn Arts Music is to help students become creative problem solvers, and positive agents of change through the power of music. This goal is met by encouraging our student musicians to appreciate the beauty of music, its ability to enrich our lives, and its power to facilitate intercultural understanding. Students enrolled in Senn Arts Music are able to explore music from many perspectives including but not limited to performance, production, engineering, business, and composition.

Theatre

Senn Arts Theatre is an ensemble based theatre program that activates observation, critical thinking, and problem solving to develop students’ artistic voice. With the support of their teachers, ensemble, and the Chicago Theatre community, young artists use their voice to react to and create works of theatre from diverse global perspectives. Every Senn Arts Theatre student participates in performance classes and departmental productions and also has the opportunity to explore and pursue all disciplines and aspects of theatre arts. Our robust partnerships with members of the Chicago theatre community allow students the opportunity to work firsthand with theatre professionals to gain practical insight into the inside workings of the theatre world.

Visual Arts

Visual Arts at Senn Arts is an intensive visual art program that addresses concepts in visual art as well as informed and critical decision-making.  The courses in this program provide students with an opportunity to explore and experiment with combinations of various media and processes. Students will master their abilities using the elements and principles of visual art to create successful artwork as well as further investigate concepts of imagination, observation, and expression.

The Fine Arts Academy at William H. Wells Community Academy High School has a unique Pre-AP curriculum designed for the student who demonstrates a keen interest in the arts. The four-year sequence has been crafted to develop the student-artist’s authentic voice and artistic ability. The curriculum, which emphasizes creative, intellectual, and collaborative challenges, will prepare the student for higher education and a career in the arts or otherwise.

To Apply: Please visit GoCPS to apply to Wells High School. 

Additional Information: Please see the “Programs” and “Admissions” sections of Wells High School’s Profile for more details on their Fine & Performing Arts programming and admission requirements.