The Arts

Arts at Highland

THE ARTS AT HIGHLAND

At Highland, we are deeply committed to and invested in the fine and performing arts. Our state-of-the-art Michael A. Hughes Highland Center for the Arts features The Rice Theater, the Lise Hicklin Black Box Theater, a dedicated gallery space, and studio spaces our faculty use to offer a wide variety of art and music classes including ceramics, 2D and 3D Design, guitar, jazz, and chorus.

The arts are part of our core curriculum

As a central element of our mission, arts education distinguishes Highland from other public and private school alternatives. In a time when school systems around the country are cutting funding to arts programs, our steadfast commitment to arts education sets Highland apart from our competitors.

All Lower and Middle School students participate in visual art and music as regular parts of their daily curriculum. Programs for our youngest students include wind instruments, xylophone, and chorus. These students enter the Upper School in Grade 9 eager for more creative exploration. Middle School students can choose to focus on a range of instruments and choral performance.

HIGHLAND HOSTS LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL PRODUCTIONS

Performances by the Piedmont Symphony and community-focused speakers hosted by local organizations bring the community to the Highland campus,” says Michael Hughes, Highland’s Artistic Director. “But Highland student productions also attract a wider audience. Highland School and our Center for the Arts have become an arts venue in its own right.”

The Michael A. Hughes Center for the Arts is also home to a spacious art gallery, a 2D art room, 3D art room, a digital filmmaking lab, and a dedicated ceramics studio.

The Michael A. Hughes Highland Center for the Arts

Our Highland Center for the Arts, recently named for Highland's long-time Artistic Director Michael A. Hughes, offers some enticing teaching and performance opportunities. The Rice Theater is a state-of-the-art performance space that hosts a wide variety of school and community events throughout the academic year. Additionally, the 60-seat Lise Hicklin Black Box theater is home to monthly Coffeehouse performances that give Upper School students a chance to perform in front of a supportive audience of their peers.