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2025-26 Visual Arts Audition Requirements
Overview
The mission of the Kinder HSPVA Visual Arts Department program is to provide a solid foundation in the visual arts and to build a broad-based fine arts experience with an emphasis on idea/concept development, problem-solving, and critical thinking. We are looking for students who are genuinely interested in the Visual Arts. We seek creativity and originality. Auditioning students should be hard-working, expressive and passionate individuals who want to spend three hours every day in art class. Art continues at home as homework and journal work. This program focuses on personal and artistic growth. We expect commitment from all our students.
The first-year student will spend half of their time in drawing classes. They will draw from life for two (2) days of the week and will complete 2D and 3D design projects for the other half. Students should have a strong interest and sufficient technical abilities to enter this fast-paced program. Please note, the curriculum does not involve cartooning or anime as solutions to prompts. During sophomore year, students will focus on technical abilities in tool time, ceramics, mixed media, printmaking, painting, photography, and video. Students should be open-minded about learning all these skills and mediums. Junior and senior year, students will create a portfolio that expresses their unique ideas. The focus is developing a body of work that digs deep and is invested in skills, research, and creativity. They may choose the mediums that they want to utilize and develop further.
When are auditions and callbacks?
The first stage of auditions for the 2025-26 school year will be virtual.
Submissions will be accepted from December 10, 2024 – February 21, 2025. Please check our website at that time for uploading instructions. Each assignment and video will be uploaded individually. The submission deadline for materials is Friday, February 21, 2025 at 11:59 PM CT.
Callbacks are by invitation only. You will be notified if you have received a callback no later than February 26, 2025. Callback instructions will be provided to students at that time. No additional materials will be required. Hold the date of Saturday, March 1, 2025, for a possible in person callback.
What do I need to submit for the audition?
Each applicant will submit one (1) video, images of three (3) pieces of art, and six (6) exercises.
- 60-90 second Video - “Why HSPVA?”
Students in the Visual Arts program spend three hours every day in art classes. Share why you want to attend our program and why you are passionate about art.
- Your Artwork
Submit three (3) photographs that document three (3) pieces of art you have made that you are proud of. These artworks can be any combination of drawings, paintings, sculptures, digital paintings, images created in Photoshop, animations, or video. These works should be original and creative. Your art should not be derived from copying from a photograph, copying existing artwork, or copying characters. The work could be a class assignment or something you created on your own.
We suggest that you do not submit anime or cartoons. We are looking at your technical abilities, creativity, individuality, and effort.
- Life Drawing from Observation (Exercise 1) - see handout, print out, complete, photograph or scan and submit.
- Graphic Solution - Abstract Design (Exercise 2) - see handout, print out, complete, photograph or scan and submit.
- Visual Riddle through Imagination (Exercise 3) - see handout, print out, complete, photograph or scan and submit.
- Big Bang Theory (Exercise 4) - see handout, print out, complete, photograph or scan and submit.
- Word Dichotomy (Exercise 5) - see handout, print out, complete, photograph or scan and submit.
- Art Survey (Exercise 6) - see handout, print out, complete, photograph or scan and submit (MUST BE HANDWRITTEN)
Important Information About Your Artwork and Exercises
You will be uploading your materials to a website. Download the template for the actual exercises. Print the exercises on a piece of copy paper (8.5” x 11”), complete the exercises manually. You may take a photograph or scan your work. If you are taking a photograph, do your best to make sure the piece is in focus and that the lighting is even as possible. Try to make sure that shadows are not blocking or obscuring the piece. Frame the work as close as possible. Make sure there is nothing distracting in the background. Use a neutral background (wall, countertop, clear tabletop). We are not judging your photography skills – only the art that you have created.
It is important that you follow directions. Complete the work to your fullest ability. You MUST use the templates provided.
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Audition materials for the 2024-25 school year will be accepted at https://app.getacceptd.com/kinderhspva beginning January 18, 2024. The deadline to submit materials is February 23, 2024.
Instructions:
- If you have not already created an account with Acceptd, you will need to do that first. Acceptd is a platform used by some of the best colleges, universities, conservatories, summer programs, and competitions. This platform is NOT connected with CHOOSEHISD.org and your username and passwords do not need to match. We suggest that you sign up as a parent, and when adding your student, indicate that the student does NOT have an email account. If you include your student’s email address, they will need to verify the account before you submit their application.
- After creating an account, you’ll need to browse programs and search for “HSPVA” or make sure you are logged in and click HERE
- Complete the application and upload materials as directed.
For technical questions, please visit Acceptd's Applicant Help Desk.