Key dates
Visit the pages for the programs you’re interested in (scroll to the bottom of this page). Watch each intro video and read the audition requirements and timeline.
Students: This application is yours to complete. If you have questions about the program you are applying to, please contact the FAC Instructor. If you need technical assistance with Acceptd, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.
Parents: Your role is to set up the linked account if needed, then support from the sidelines. Doing the application yourself takes away your child’s chance to own the process.
If you’re invited, you’ll hear from us on February 11. Then:
Do I have to be a polished artist?
No. We look at your experience, but we also value teachability, work ethic, and attitude. We’ll review your grades, attendance, and discipline record to make sure you’ll succeed here.
Does applying mean I have to attend?
No. If you decline your offer, you can re-apply next year as long as you will still be in high school.
What does it cost?
Nothing for accepted students who live in Greenville County. Some classes charge supply or equipment fees, which are waived for students with “Pupil in Poverty” status.
When are classes?
Two daily sessions: 9:15–11:05 AM and 1:25–3:15 PM. Dance Foundation and Theatre Foundations meet 8:00–9:00 AM.
What credit do I earn?
Two elective units per year. FAC classes are Honors level, and AP is offered in Studio Art and Music Theory.
How do I get there?
GCS buses run from all fifteen GCS high schools (Dance Foundations and Theatre Foundations – there is no bus to the FAC; just to your GCS HS after class). You can also apply for a parking pass, or a parent can drop you off.
Do I have to switch to Wade Hampton High School?
No, you can stay at your zoned high school. If you’d like to move, accepted FAC students get priority admission to Wade Hampton. Call WHHS to start the process.
Can I start in any grade?
Yes. Students can begin in grades 9–12 and stay as long as their schedule allows and their work earns a return spot. You can also switch art areas in a later year by auditioning for the new one.
Is it hard?
Yes. No FAC class is an “easy A,” but it’s built for serious students, and about 95% of graduates go on to college. Roughly 70% study the arts in college; the rest keep the arts as a lifelong passion.
In this class, we will experiences literature, that of our classmates and of contemporaneous and past masters, from the perspective of writers instead of solely as students.
The Fine Arts Center Dance Department embraces the philosophy that – to be a well-rounded and expressive dancer – concert dance training in the foundations of ballet, modern dance, and choreography, prepares the student to become an empowered and prolific dancer that will provide them with the necessary tools to enter a pre-professional or conservatory program in a dance company or program in higher education.
The course is designed to give each student an overview of the many aspects of the motion picture industry, including writing, producing, directing, lighting, shooting, sound recording, and editing. This is achieved partially through lecture time, partially through critiquing the work of other filmmakers including fellow classmates, and partially through hands-on production. Through this process, they not only gain valuable and marketable skills but will have strengthened their thinking skills by learning to think abstractly and conceptually.
The Music Program at the Fine Arts Center nurtures the total musician through professional preparation in performance, theoretical, and historical studies. Each student is given individual attention in a small class setting to fully realize their potential and grow their skills as a musician.
Theatre Foundations gives students an opportunity to investigate the literature, techniques, and methods of theatre without the constant pressure of performing. Focus is evenly split between academic and practical applications, with daily experience in both. The Beginning Theatre Ensemble is focused on the tools and practical craft of the theatre artist, as well as college and career preparation.
The Theatre Design and Production Program conjures up the magic that surrounds the performers for FAC’s numerous stage events. We prize dedication and hard work because they consistently produce good results. Here you’ll learn the theory, as well as, the current practice of producing the performing arts. But more importantly, you’ll learn time management, communication, and organizational skills, as well as how to be open to new ideas.
The goal of the Visual Arts Program at the Fine Arts Center is to encourage the growth and development of young artists fostered through the guidance of teachers (all of whom are practicing artists). The Visual Arts curriculum requires a high degree of commitment, concentrated effort, extra time, and rigor – establishing a strong foundation in design and technique, on which students can build during a year–long (or multi-year) curriculum that encourages self confidence and development of stylistic vision.
