The University of Akron (UA) has expanded its commitment to high-quality, accessible arts education with the new UA Arts Academy. The Academy offers a diverse array of year-round classes, workshops, exhibits and performance opportunities for the community. Programs in dance, visual art, theatre and music, including a youth summer camp, are designed to spark creativity and provide a platform for artistic expression and growth.
“The University of Akron Arts Academy strives to create vibrant and creative safe spaces for young artists to hone their talents while developing skills in critical thinking, problem solving and empathy,” said Sarah Bailey, manager of the Arts Preparatory Division of UA’s School of Dance, Theatre and Arts Administration. “By nurturing creativity in our community, we are creating a generation of innovators and creative thinkers.”
Under the Arts Academy, classes and other opportunities will be offered to the public through the Music Institute, the Dance Institute, the Visual Arts Institute and the Theatre Institute at Rubber City Theatre. Rubber City is an Akron professional equity
theater company in residence at UA. The Academy is led by a team of experienced UA faculty members and nationally acclaimed guest artists to ensure access to the best instructors.
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UA’s nationally recognized Dance Institute, founded in 1967, offers similar opportunities for dancers. The Arts Academy is an effort to bring the other arts offerings in line with dance.
A variety of classes are available. Musicians can take individual lessons with faculty members and participate in ensembles. Dancers have access to lessons and new intensives in ballet, modern dance, contemporary, jazz, tap and other styles, from pre-ballet to advanced classes. Yoga and pilates classes are also popular with the Academy’s adult participants.
Rubber City was a partner in the Akron Arts Academy camp for children ages 6-12 offered for the first time during summer 2024. The program offered youth an opportunity to expand their creativity through dance, music, fine art and theatre.
Participation in the Academy is beneficial for high-school-aged participants who intend to pursue the arts after graduation. Classes and lessons at UA help these students prepare for auditions and put together portfolios for college programs. The Academy
also gives high school students an inside look at UA’s academic arts programs, which Bailey said may encourage them to enroll as students.
Ultimately, the Academy’s goal is to expose children and adults to the benefits of an arts education, which will translate into the continued growth of a strong community.
“Giving your child an arts education is so much more than music or dance lessons,” Bailey said. “You’re creating good humans and future arts supporters. They may not be the ones on stage or creating the artwork, but they might be the person who is buying tickets or going to the art museum. We are also fostering tomorrow’s performers and artists by creating a path for them to become future Zips at UA.”
Story by Jessica Whitehill
To learn more, visit uakron.edu/arts-academy.