Newtown High School of the Performing Arts

Excellence, Creativity & Equity

Telephone02 9519 1544

Emailnewtown-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

About our school

Newtown High School of the Performing Arts is one of the leading Performing and Visual Arts schools in Australia and is recognised internationally for its excellence.

As well as studying the more traditional subjects the school curriculum allows students to study Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts to the highest performance and intellectual level.

Newtown High School of the Performing Arts is unique. Our school is the first government school in New South Wales to provide a continuous program of academic achievement and excellence in the Performing and Visual Arts.

The school provides challenging and effective specialist and artistic education programs and preparation for exciting careers in the arts and associated industries.

Companies and Ensembles in Dance, Drama and Music stage six weeks of Showcase Concerts twice a year.

All students enrolled have the opportunity to audition to perform; they often write the scripts, compositions and fellow students direct. They are supported by the students from the Video, Technical, Costume and Design Companies construct and design the sets, document and record performances.

The talented students are selected by audition and the school population is drawn from the whole of New South Wales.

In recent years students have developed national and international links:

  • Dance students have performed in the USA and the school has been a host to American Performing Arts High School.
  • Drama students have performed in Hobart and Brisbane.
  • Visual Arts and Music students have participated in performances and exhibitions in Japan.
  • The school hosts numerous delegations from a wide variety of countries including China, Japan, Canada and the USA.
  • Students perform for prestigious festivals, concerts and tours.

These performances create opportunities for community organisations, government, film, television and radio stations to use the school and its students to promote their various activities.

Facilities The school is purpose designed with facilities such as:

  • Three dance studios
  • Four drama rooms
  • Ten individual music practice rooms
  • Four music rooms
  • One small theatre
  • Four visual arts studios
  • One photography room

Students have gained entry to:

  • N.I.D.A
  • W.A.P.A
  • V.C.A
  • Nepean

In the HSC our students have gained places in the Dance, Drama, and Music merit lists.

In addition to Performing Arts faculties in our tertiary institutions, our students are in the faculties of Law, Medicine, Communications, Science and Engineering.

Showcase Performances

The Showcase Performances are held in May/June and November/December each year. These performances are open to the public and they provide a vehicle for our very talented students to perform and achieve extended recognition of their works.

You are very welcome to attend.

Tickets can be purchased for these events via our school's website. If you experience problems when using our online booking system, please phone the school on 9519 1544.