Arts

The arts are not extracurricular at Country Day; they are integral to the complete education we provide our students in JK–12. Our robust program includes visual art, vocal and instrumental music, and drama—all essential manifestations of the human spirit.

The entire school community benefits from the remarkable talents of our students and their teachers through student-produced fine arts events, exhibits, and musical and drama productions. Our arts program celebrates personal expression and connects our students to history, diverse cultures, and to their own imaginations.

In This Section

Visual Arts

Our visual arts program develops our students' talents and abilities at all levels.

Music

Comprehensive music instruction begins as young as JK and older students can take band, orchestra, and choir.

Drama

Every student begins performing on stage as young as JK. Middle and Upper School students perform in plays and musicals.

Arts Events

Celebrating the Arts

Artists in Residence Program

The Artists in Residence Program offers students a unique experience fueled by art and culture. Visiting artists work directly with our Middle and Upper students on special projects to teach and share their craft and areas of expertise. From learning how to make mosaics and paint murals, produce a video and compose a music score, to sewing a quilt and designing a bronze sculpture, providing our students the opportunity to learn from working artists who have national and international recognition, helps to expand their artistic view.

Annual Art Exhibit

Every year since 2009, Country Day proudly hosts a public art exhibition featuring well-known artists and collections generously shared by members of our community. The range of art exhibits featured ties art education directly to our community, reaching all levels of interest and age groups.

Friends of the Arts (FOTA)

FOTA is a volunteer parent organization dedicated to supporting Country Day's fine arts program in all divisions by recruiting and inspiring volunteers to help at school exhibitions, concerts, productions, and other arts events.

70

play performances, musicals, concerts, and exhibits are presented each year by students in grades JK–12.

13+

Number of NC Theatre Conference State Championship wins and Blumey nominations our Upper School Theater program has earned.

8

vocal and instrumental groups in Middle and Upper School, including orchestra, band, choir, and an A Capella group.

2009

The year Country Day started hosting public art exhibits featuring famous artists, such as Romare Bearden, Chas Fagan, and W. Louis Jones, among others.

39

Average number of Upper School fine arts courses from Concert Choir and Symphonic Band to AP Studio: Sculpture and IB Theater Arts.

100%

Students who participate in theater and learn how to perform on stage in Lower, Middle, and Upper School.

Arts Facilities

Our striking and inspirational facilities provide opportunities for our students to explore personal expression and creative imaginations.

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Hance Fine Arts Center

This beautiful 45,730-square-foot building includes an art gallery, four visual arts studios, photography studio with two darkrooms, ceramics/3-D studio, Black Box Theater, two-story dance studio, music suite, practice rooms, computer graphics classroom, and a student publication center.

Hance Family Gallery

Housed in the Hance Fine Arts Center, the gallery exhibits artwork from our students, faculty, alumni, and visiting artists. Every year, we host an exhibit open to the public featuring works from well-known artists, such as Romare Bearden, W. Louis Jones, Cundo Bermudez, among others.

Gorelick Family Theater

Our main performance space, the Gorelick Family Theater seats about 400 and provides a venue for more than 70 award-winning plays and musicals, concerts, special events, lectures, and assemblies each year for students and parents.

Lower School Fine Arts Center

The Lower School Fine Arts Center houses the Gorelick Family Theater, which is used by all students in grades JK–12 for performances. The building also includes two child-scaled art studios, ceramics studio, piano studios for individual instruction, a dance room, a music classroom, and the Dalton Gallery, which is used to exhibit art from all three divisions.

Bissell Campus Arts Facilities

Our Middle School campus features space for band, choir, orchestra, General Music, drama, and three visual arts rooms.

A Glimpse into the Arts

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Former Buccaneers Pursuing Arts at the Collegiate Level

Many of our Country Day Bucs attend these prestigious art schools and programs.