Arts Extracurriculars for High School Students

Explore visual arts, performing arts, music, film, creative writing, and design programs for high school students looking to build a creative portfolio.

Arts Categories

  • Visual arts and portfolio development programs
  • Theater, dance, and performing arts
  • Film and digital media production
  • Creative writing workshops and contests
  • Music performance and composition programs
  • Graphic design and digital arts

Current arts program listings

280 matching programs are listed in the directory right now. The most recently added:

  • Northwestern University Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute — Northwestern University: Elevate your writing skills in this prestigious summer journalism program for high schoolers. Gain hands-on media experience and boost your college ap
  • National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYO-USA) — Carnegie Hall: Join a prestigious summer orchestra program for high school musicians in grades 10-12. Develop advanced music skills, perform at Carnegie Hall, and bo
  • Davidson Fellows Scholarship - Music Category — Davidson Institute: Prestigious music scholarship recognizing high school students with exceptional compositions. Boost your college applications and showcase your creati
  • Young Playwrights Festival — Young Playwrights Inc.: Showcase your talent in this free playwriting competition for high schoolers (Grades 10-12). Develop creative skills, gain theater experience, and boo
  • Yale Summer Conservatory for Actors — Yale School of Drama: Develop advanced acting skills in Yale’s intensive summer program for high school students. Build confidence, gain hands-on experience, and stand out
  • National High School Musical Theatre Awards (Jimmy Awards) — Broadway League: Compete in a prestigious national musical theatre competition in NYC! Showcase your talent, gain performance skills, and boost your college applicatio
  • NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles — NAfME: Join elite high school musicians in this prestigious in-person honor ensemble program. Enhance your skills, perform nationally, and boost your college
  • National Student Poets Program — Institute of Museum and Library Services: Prestigious poetry competition for 10th-11th graders. Become a literary ambassador, gain recognition, and build creative writing skills for college an
  • Juilliard Pre-College — The Juilliard School: Elite music program for high schoolers in grades 10-12 offering hands-on performance training and skill development. Boosts college applications and a
  • ArtCenter College of Design Pre-College Program — ArtCenter College of Design: Intensive pre-college art and design program at ArtCenter in Pasadena for high school students to explore industrial design, graphic design, film, ill
  • Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam — Youth Speaks: National slam poetry organization connecting high school students through spoken word performance, workshops, and the annual Brave New Voices internat
  • Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Intensive — Berklee College of Music: Intensive 5-week summer program at Berklee College of Music for high school musicians to study performance, production, songwriting, and music busines
  • Scholastic Art & Writing Awards — Scholastic Inc. / Alliance for Young Artists & Writers: The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the nation's longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. Over $
  • Frost Young Musicians Camp — University of Miami Frost School of Music: Summer intensive at top-ranked university music school. Unique program offering both classical and contemporary music training.
  • NFMC Junior Festival and Competition — National Federation of Music Clubs: National Federation of Music Clubs performance competition. Piano, strings, and voice categories from local to national levels.
  • From the Top / NPR Performance — From the Top: Perform on NPR's From the Top radio show. National exposure for young musicians.
  • National English Honor Society Writing Contests — NEHS: Writing competitions for NEHS members. Poetry, prose, creative nonfiction.
  • Oberlin Conservatory Summer Voice Program — Oberlin Conservatory: Classical voice training at elite Oberlin Conservatory. Individual lessons, coaching, and performance opportunities with Oberlin faculty.
  • River of Words Environmental Poetry & Art Contest — Library of Congress: Environmental poetry and art competition for K-12 students.
  • Stulberg International String Competition — Stulberg Competition: International string competition for young artists. Significant prizes.
  • Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Programs — Boston Symphony Orchestra: Elite music training at BSO summer home. Work with world-class musicians. Highly competitive audition.
  • Processing Foundation Creative Coding — Processing Foundation: Free creative coding resources and community. Learn Processing/p5.js to create digital art and interactive media.
  • Carnegie Hall NYO2 — Carnegie Hall: National training ensemble (ages 14-16) with full scholarship and residency.
  • Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition — Royal Commonwealth Society: Global essay competition for youth; annual deadline.

View all arts programs in the directory

Frequently Asked Questions

Do arts extracurriculars help with college admissions?

Absolutely. Colleges value demonstrated artistic talent and commitment. A strong portfolio of arts activities—especially recognition at regional or national level—can be a significant differentiator. For arts-focused schools, a portfolio or audition is often central to admission. Even for non-arts programs, deep involvement in creative activities demonstrates discipline, creative thinking, and cultural engagement.

What are the most prestigious arts programs for high school students?

Top programs include Juilliard Pre-College for music, Iowa Young Writers' Studio and Bread Loaf for writing, Interlochen Arts Camp for multiple disciplines, NYO-USA for orchestral musicians, and the Jimmy Awards for musical theatre. National competitions like Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (Gold Key) carry significant weight for visual artists and writers.

How do I build a competitive arts portfolio in high school?

Focus on consistent practice and documented work—keep a portfolio from freshman year. Seek external validation through competitions, exhibitions, and publications rather than only school-based activities. Take private lessons or join community ensembles. Apply to summer programs at arts institutions. Create original work rather than only exercises, and document everything with photographs, recordings, or publications.

What arts activities look best on college applications?

Depth and external recognition matter most. Private study with a professional teacher, participation in competitive ensembles or exhibitions, regional or national competition awards, published creative work, and attendance at selective summer programs all carry weight. Leadership roles—founding a school arts club, organizing a student exhibition—show initiative beyond mere participation.

Can I pursue arts extracurriculars if my school doesn't have strong arts programs?

Yes. Community arts centers, regional youth orchestras, community theater groups, and local writing workshops all exist independent of schools. Online programs have expanded significantly, with virtual workshops and courses from top institutions. Many competitions accept independent entrants. Consider starting a club at school, or pursuing independent projects you can document and present.

What's the difference between visual arts and performing arts extracurriculars?

Visual arts (painting, sculpture, photography, design, film) typically involve portfolio-based evaluation and competitions like Scholastic Art Awards. Performing arts (music, theater, dance) involve auditions, ensemble participation, and performance opportunities. Both can lead to national recognition. Choose based on your genuine passion—colleges value authentic engagement over strategic resume-building.