A Future in Fine Arts: Introducing the Selwyn Fine Arts Academy

January 31st, 2020

As we continue Selwyn School’s mission of developing students who embrace complex challenges with empathetic and innovative thinking that advances the human condition, I am excited to announce the launch of the Selwyn Fine Arts Academy for Upper School students in the Fall of 2020. This Academy will provide an enhanced fine arts experience to students in our area with the highest quality arts and music education available, and I am thrilled to see this new program in action.

The value of an arts education cannot be understated—that’s why the arts have played, and will continue to play, a key role in the education of every student at Selwyn. Practicing music and art leads students to become sustained, self-directed learners and instills a lifelong curiosity about the world. The arts help students connect with one another in deep, meaningful ways that often results in a greater empathy for those around them. And the challenging aspects of creation allows students to push themselves to succeed in other aspects of study—including math and the sciences. For the past sixty-three years, Selwyn School has been committed to providing an arts curriculum to all students. This fall, we will be doubling down on that commitment by providing an enhanced fine arts experience to Upper School students who choose to pursue more arts opportunities.

The Selwyn Fine Arts Academy offers students the time and space to pursue an individualized, four-year long study of music or visual art taught by classically trained subject-area specialists. Whether a student wants to develop her passion for music or photography, the Fine Arts Academy pays special attention to each child’s unique talents and skills and develops them into refined abilities. Students graduating from the Fine Arts Academy will have the same excellent academic pedigree as other students at Selwyn—enjoying the benefits of Outdoor Education, the Perspectives Travel Program, and all of the privileges that the other students experience. The Selwyn Fine Arts Academy enhances this educational experience with in-depth courses related to the student’s artistic or musical interests. The dynamic Fine Arts Academy offers students unparalleled access to artistic and musical resources throughout their day. Each student will develop skills in the fine arts that will carry over into all aspects of their lives: they will build stronger connections to world cultures, will develop tenacity and grit as they learn to master their crafts, and will acquire an understanding of the connections between the arts and sciences. Importantly, they will develop these skills regardless of whether they ultimately choose to pursue a degree in fine art. Designed specifically with artistically inclined students in mind, the Selwyn Fine Arts Academy is built to nurture the talents of each student in ways few other programs can.

The Selwyn Music Academy

Students in the Music Academy will receive thirty minutes of private, individual instruction in their instrument of choice from adjunct instructors who are degreed musicians and specialists in their instruments. Music Academy students will play in the Piano Lab, learn advanced music theory and musical notation, and will gain significant solo and ensemble performance experience. Students who graduate from the Selwyn Fine Arts Academy will have developed the musicianship skills necessary to audition at the most competitive music programs in the country—including the one in our own backyard at the University of North Texas.

The Selwyn Visual Arts Academy

Similarly, students in the Visual Arts Academy will learn the concepts of two- and three-dimensional art, and will learn to express themselves through photography, ceramics, sculpture, painting, jewelry-making, drawing, and graphic design. This depth and breadth of experience will allow all students in the Visual Arts Academy to curate a well-rounded portfolio as they apply to the art schools of their choice. Learning from experienced artists on Selwyn’s campus and from within our community make this arts program one-of-its-kind in North Texas.