The University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem is marking its 60th anniversary. It was the nation’s first public arts conservatory.
The school first opened its doors for classes on September 21, 1965. Faculty there prepared young artists for professional careers in music, dance, and drama. Design & production was added three years later, followed by filmmaking in 1993. The campus has grown from a single building to facilities now spread out across nearly 80 acres.
Chancellor Brian Cole says School of the Arts was a big idea back at its founding — putting aspiring young artists in proximity with faculty and peers from across the country, developing interdisciplinary skills — and it remains relevant in 2025 with the growth of technology.
"Innovation with new tools and the core of what we do in training artists, those things coexisting will be a whole new kind of institution in the future, and one that is as strong as it was in the past, and strong enough to deal with the new kinds of possibilities within the industry," says Cole.
UNCSA will celebrate its 60th anniversary next month during its Homecoming: Family & Alumni Weekend.