Our Mission Statement

Culver City High School's Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) is committed to creating the optimum environment for students of all ages to excel in the performing arts by providing the finest artistic education and training for both the aspiring professional and novice. Our training program is proudly built on three principles:

Culver City High School Academy of Visual & Performing Arts Inspiring and empowering students to build a compassionate, creative community through innovative and challenging arts education

Established in 1996, the Academy of Visual & Performing Arts is on the Westside of Los Angeles in the "Heart of Screenland". The Academy is neighbors with UCLA, USC, Loyola Marymount, Santa Monica College, West Los Angeles College, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Tri-Star and Columbia Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Center Theatre Group, and is surrounded by nurmerous design, recording, and theatre companies. With tremendous community support, a strong faculty, and a rigorous balanced curriculum students receive a well rounded education that prepares them to enter college programs, vocational programs, or the world of work.

MAJORS IN Theatre Performance, Film and Video, Music, Visual Arts and Dance. Students complete required coursework and production work which provides a balance between hands-on and academic training.

COURSEWORK Academy students take their college entrance and graduation requirements during the traditional school day from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm. Academy courses begin after school at 2:45 Monday through Friday. A few Academy courses may be offered during the school day. Many of the courses are offered fro college credit (UC/CSU approved). An average Academy load runs 2:45-5:00 Monday through Friday.

PRODUCTION EMPHASIS The Academy has over twenty productions a year across all four majors. Productions range from Film Festivals, 16 mm films, Concerts, Art Exhibits, Theatre Festivals, Plays, to Musicals. During productions students get practical experience in their major which is reinforced by classroom instruction. Students design and create work for all productions with guidance from teachers and industry professionals. Each student is required to log a minimum of 800 hours of production work over four years.

PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH STUDENTS Our current staff is composed of teachers and working professionals. Over 2/3 of the faculty are currently working in their field of expertise, and thus students gain valuable insight as well as access to connections beyond the walls of the Academy.

SPONSORS/ADVISORY COUNCIL Support from great institutions and companies has been a tremendous benefit to the Academy. The Academy has received financial assistance, in-kind donations, technical support, curriculum support, internships, and teachers from a variety of sources. Representatives from Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Evidence Room, MYE Theatre Company, and A.S.K. Theatre Projects currently sit on our Advisory Council. Other major sponsors included Westside Production Services, Playa Vista Development, The Center Theatre
Group, West Los Angeles College, Santa Monica College, UCLA, The Geffen Playhouse, The Culver City Re-Development Agency, and The Culver City Education Foundation.

GRADUATES have gone on to study their craft at New York University, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles Film School, The University of California at Los Angeles, The University of California at Berkeley, the University of California at Santa Cruz, Cal Arts, Otis School of Design, Long Beach State, and San Diego State. Students are currently working at their craft in companies throughout Southern California, and elsewhere.

COMMITMENT The Academy is an intense experience. With coursework and productions added on to the traditional six period day students and parents need to give serious consideration to the time and energy required before applying. An average Academy student takes classes Monday through Friday from 2:45-5:00 throughout the year and then works on productions which require time in the evenings and weekends fro roughly twenty weeks out of a forty week year. This is a general average. Each major has its own requirements that differ from the above description. Specific production and course times for each major are given during the student and parent orientation.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Students graduate with between 10-15 courses completed in their major
* College credit for some courses (UC/CSU approved)
* Professional teaching staff
* State of the Art technology and facilities
* Internships and scholarships
* Over 20 productions per year across all four majors
* Dedicated and motivated student population
* Student, teacher, parent communication and guidance
* Business, community, and higher education support
* Connections with the professional world and institutions of higher education