Arts
Sierra Canyon Arts promotes insightful artistry to summon students’ untapped potential. With rich course offerings in both the performing and visual arts, our program is designed to encourage students to challenge themselves and to explore the depth and breadth of the arts.
Goals of the Sierra Canyon Arts Program
Experience and develop curiosity, interest, and enjoyment in personal creativity and that of others
Develop tools for creativity and innovation
Express artistic ideas with expanding confidence
Develop growing appreciation and knowledge of a variety of styles, developments, and ideas that have shaped the arts across time and cultures
Present work through formal and informal performances and exhibitions
Recognize the importance of visual and performing arts across time and cultures and perceive these art forms as an integral part of life
Visual Arts
By nurturing both creative and critical thinking, the Visual Arts Department at Sierra Canyon provides the tools for students to foster their artistic expression and inspire innovation.
– Each Visual Arts course strives to develop student skills in Artistic Perception, Creative Expression, Historical and Cultural Context, Aesthetic Valuing, Connections, Relations and Applications.
These standards nurture critical and creative thinking skills and enable students to become independent learners who can adapt and apply knowledge to a wide variety of situations.
– While the Lower Campus Visual Arts curriculum introduces fundamental knowledge to students at an age appropriate level, the Upper Campus offers advanced courses for students who wish to develop work for college applications, art applications, or personal advancement. Students who wish to develop an Advanced Placement Portfolio choose their area of specialization by 11th grade and take Advanced Placement Studio Art in the 12th grade.
Performing Arts
– The Sierra Canyon Performing Arts Department is central to the objective to educate the whole person. Students develop the skills and the discipline to be intuitive, imaginative creators and observers in all areas of their lives. The teachers of the arts are also practicing artists; they inspire and challenge their students to participate in the creative process.
– Performing Arts events are also an integral part of the Sierra Canyon community. Concerts, plays and performances fill the calendar and celebrate artistic accomplishments. Introductory Performing Arts courses are required, but many students go beyond the basic requirements. Some students are involved in many facets of the arts, while others specialize as dancers, musicians, or actors.
– Each year, the Performing Arts Department presents four professional quality and thematically advanced productions. Another annual celebration of the Performing Arts Department is an event called “One Night Only.” This special evening is a culmination of Middle and Upper students’ yearlong work in the Vocal, Instrumental, and Dance programs.
SCS Film Festival
– The Sierra Canyon Film Festival is an annual spring event. Organized and run by Sierra Canyon students and the Visual Arts Department instructors, the festival aims to showcase Sierra Canyon’s aspiring filmmakers, animators, and actors. This evening honors the time, effort, and talent that goes into their films.
– The festival consists of a reception, screening, awards ceremony, and a Q&A session with the attending student filmmakers. During the reception, the filmmakers meet privately with a guest speaker, a professional currently working in the film industry, where questions are taken, and advice offered on how to advance/enhance their craft and careers.
– After an introduction by the professional/industry guest speaker, the screening begins. The student films are screened for roughly 90 minutes and consist of short films, animated and live action, from a wide pool of applicants. After the screening, student filmmakers are presented with trophies, awards, and scholarships.
– The Sierra Canyon Film Festival offers aspiring student filmmakers the opportunity to have their films screened with a large audience. Students get feedback from an industry professional and a large audience of first-time viewers. Past festivals have been screened at the historic Raleigh Studios and most recently we have moved under the stars on the Sierra Canyon Lower Campus. The event features a variety of food trucks, music, and an active picnic environment.
