High SCHOOL: Visual and Performing ArtsThe Arts provide a way for students to understand and appreciate differences and similarities among diverse cultures from around the world. The Arts also provide a path by which we can better understand our dreams and ourselves, and communicate that understanding to others. At VIA, students will have many opportunities to develop their artistic talents in fun and creative ways, as part of their regular coursework and during schoolwide activities. Arts appreciation adds a rich background and context to the period during which the art was created. A primary goal of studying the arts is learning to balance the logical and intellectual with the intuitive and emotional. Ideally, this combination activates our right brain while keeping our left brain engaged, helping us reach our fullest potential in many areas of study and life, enhancing our self-worth and self-expression. Through the study of art history, students will examine the motivations and imperatives of the artists. They will compare and contrast the artists' themes and approaches with those of their colleagues, and consider symbolism and iconography to better understand the meaning of art. Students will also take advantage of the Bay Area's wide variety of artistic venues for comparison and analysis, and hopefully become inspired to produce their own master works. Through these and numerous other strategies, VIA's students will develop a deeper and more sophisticated appreciation for the arts, while they stretch as artists themselves. |
MIDDLE SCHOOLHIGH SCHOOL |
