Idyllwild Arts Academy

Nestled on 205 acres of pine forest in Southern California's San Jacinto Mountains, Idyllwild Arts Academy is an internationally recognized residential arts high school serving students in grades 9–12 and a postgraduate year. The school is built on the belief that art is one of humanity's greatest teachers and that the practice of creativity can drive positive change in the world. Students arrive as "Citizen Artists," encouraged to bring their authentic selves to the studio and classroom, and they follow a dual curriculum that weaves pre-professional arts training together with a rigorous college-preparatory academic program. Drawing students from over 30 countries, Idyllwild Arts is global by design, cultivating critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers, and engaged citizens of the world.

Students choose one of eight art majors: Creative Writing, Dance, Dramatic Arts, Fashion Design, Film & Digital Media, InterArts, Music, and Visual Arts. Each major is shaped around the individual student's creative path, with hands-on instruction from accomplished working artists and frequent opportunities to perform, exhibit, screen, and publish their work. Signature programs such as the Arts Enterprise Laboratory help students connect their artistry to entrepreneurship and real-world careers.

Idyllwild Arts graduates go on to the world's leading conservatories, art and design schools, and universities, including Juilliard, Berklee, CalArts, Carnegie Mellon, NYU Tisch, Rhode Island School of Design, USC, and UCLA. In fact, Idyllwild Arts students are admitted to highly selective universities at twice the national average acceptance rate. College counselors who are themselves practicing artists guide students through a two-year college and career curriculum, and each fall more than 40 colleges and universities visit campus to recruit Idyllwild Arts students, often holding portfolio reviews and live auditions on site.

For young artists ready to pursue their passion at the highest level, Idyllwild Arts offers a rare combination: a close-knit mountain community, serious artistic training, and an academic program that opens doors to top colleges around the world. Students leave not only as accomplished artists but as confident, curious people prepared to make their mark in whatever field they choose.