Welcome to the Mrs. H.D. Dear, Sr. and Alice. E. Dear
School of Creative and Performing Arts
The Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts serves students in the arts and media communities through education, performance, communication, and collaboration while providing a nurturing yet demanding environment of artistic study. Faculty and students produce art and media through hands-on experiences with live performances, multimedia productions, gallery events, public art venues, and professional and student media outlets. With a university tradition of education, the School of Creative and Performing Arts provides a solid foundation of arts education and professional skills for emerging artists, educators, and performers.
Departments within the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts include:
- Fine and Graphic Arts
- Music
- New Media, Journalism, and Communication
- Theatre and Dance
The Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts at Northwestern State University is focused on creativity, collaboration, and excellence. The School of Creative and Performing Arts strives to produce future professionals who create engaging, artistic, and informative content for their communities– performing, collaborating, instructing, and producing at the highest artistic and professional levels. Faculty and students collaborate within and across disciplines to form a cohesive and global artists’ network that extends to the Southern region and beyond.
CAPA News and Events
A Message From Our Director
Welcome to the School of Creative and Performing Arts! We are glad to have you visiting us, and hope you find answers to your questions as you peruse the offerings in Music, Art, Theatre, and Dance, and New Media, Journalism, and Communication Arts.
The Department of Creative and Performing Arts was created from the academic areas of art, music and theatre/dance in 1989 and was designated as the Mrs. H.D. Dear, Sr., and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts in 2002. The academic programs in Music, Art, and Theatre/Dance within the School are fully-accredited members of their respective accrediting agencies. Art was accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design in 2000, Theatre in 1999 and Music in 1961.
Designated by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors as an “Area of Excellence”, the School strives to assist students with the acquisition of skills and knowledge necessary for professional careers in their chosen fields. An outstanding faculty and staff seek to encourage the development of creativity and performance capabilities of students and to provide for the cultural enrichment of the University, the Natchitoches community and beyond.
From the 300-member Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band, to the annual Christmas GALA, we strive for the highest ideals of artistic integrity, and are very proud of our students and faculty.
Performance scholarships are available in all academic units with the School and the majority of our students who require out-of-state fee waivers are able to receive them. Additional financial assistance is available from the Northwestern Office of Financial Aid.
Please consider this a personal invitation to visit our campus and to experience the quality of our programs, facilities, faculty and students. It would be a pleasure to visit with you and to show you what truly establishes the Northwestern School of Creative and Performing Arts as a leader in arts education.
Best wishes, and I hope you will join us at NSU in all of your creative pursuits!
Scott Burrell, MFA
Director
Mrs. H.D. Dear, Sr., and Alice E. Dear
School of Creative and Performing Arts
View this profile on InstagramNSULA_capa (@nsula_capa) • Instagram photos and videos