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Cast members from a Dwight School musical theater performance hold a pose.
Arts

Encouraging creativity, nurturing talent, and providing opportunities for unlimited student expression in our state-of-the-art facilities and beyond, with all that NYC has to offer at our doorstep.

Living the Creativity at the Cornerstone of Our Curriculum

The arts form a cornerstone of our students' IB education journey from day one. Beginning in preschool and kindergarten with foundational exposure, students progress through increasingly sophisticated learning in history, theory, and technique, and through performance/exhibition. Throughout this journey, they explore diverse genres, develop technical mastery, and cultivate their unique artistic passions across both visual and performing arts.

Whether students are aspiring visual artists, filmmakers, photographers, musicians, composers, technicians, actors, directors, or more, our programs lead to real-life, NYC-immersive experiences. Even our youngest performers make use of the world-class venues in the city, holding a Winter Concert in the famed Symphony Space on Broadway. Our visual artists are inspired by the museums of New York City, with the culmination of their studies, the Senior Art Exhibition, held at a professional venue. Digital media students are inspired by the amazing locations in NYC for film, photography, and more.

All of this means our students live the creativity that is such a cornerstone of the IB curriculum.

Dwight School students perform in a rock band on stage at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

World-Class Venues

Dwight's Performing Arts Center features a black-box theater with professional theatrical LED fixtures and a state-of-the-art music recording studio. It's home to our very own student music label, 566 Records. Dwight students also perform in iconic NYC spaces throughout the year, which has included Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Five Angels Theater, and other off-Broadway theaters.

Upper School students pose at the MET on a Dwight School field trip.

Arts in New York City

Dwight leads the way in teaching the arts within a global context. Students are exposed to artistic traditions and aesthetic expressions of other cultures and learn how to appreciate works of art as discerning observers, listeners, and performers. New York City is also one of the world’s leading cultural hubs, and students have the opportunity to visit a wide range of galleries, museums, studios, theaters, and more.

A gallery wall of some of Dwight School's museum quality works.

Home to a Museum-Quality Art Collection

Dwight’s campus is home to over 200 pieces of art, including Goya etchings, Audubon prints, Tibetan thangkas, antique maps, and much more. This offers an enriching, stimulating learning environment and inspires our students’ creativity — with some student work becoming part of this growing permanent collection.

OUR FACULTY ARE PROFESSIONAL WORKING ARTISTS

Teachers ignite the creative spark of genius in every child and customize the IB arts journey for each student based on their passions and talents. Current Dwight School Arts faculty members are world-renowned touring musicians and film composers, published writers and journalists, actors and directors on stage and screen, and photographers, filmmakers, and visual artists showing in prestigious exhibitions across New York City.

Dwight’s teachers are constantly evolving their own craft, bringing their inspiration from the professional world into the classroom and after-school programs. They also bring students into professional spaces for real-world experiences and invite fellow professionals to give Master Classes.