Our program was introduced by John Roddy. John introduced Mr. Trey Devey, the 8th president of Interlochen Arts Academy.
Trey offered us the “State of Interlochen” address and how they have pivoted through these COVID-19 times.
He shared that Traverse City was named #10 in the country as a vibrant arts medium sized community in SMU Data Arts 2020 Report.
There are five major elements of IAA that serve to reinforce each other:
Arts Camp - 2500 students
Academy - 550 high school students
College of Creative Arts for Adults
Interlochen Presents
Interlochen Public Radio: Classical music and news with content shared around the NPR network.
In a typical (non pandemic) year, Interlochen Presents will hold 600 events that range from Diana Ross, ZZ Top, The Nutcracker, to Collage.
IAA currently boasts of 95,000 alumni from over 50 states and 50 countries. Among their accolades are:
46 Presidential Scholars (more than any other high school in the nation)
24 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
National Medal of Arts (the highest honor an institution may receive)
John Groban
Speaking of Josh Groban, he credits IAA for helping him navigate his incredible talent at a young age when he needed it most!
IAA continues to offer 13 different programs with 285 teachers. Students and parents have given IAA high marks for their ability to adapt to COVID-19 and provide high-quality education.
The campus maintains strict health and sanitation protocols. With a closed campus, parents are not allowed to visit and many performances are live streamed.
The school calendar has been modified. The academic year began on Aug. 10. Students will have a holiday break from the end of December to February.
IAA will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2028. Vision 2028 is a 30-year master plan that began in 1990 to develop physical aspects of the academy. This has included:
A new dance theatre opens next semester
A visual arts and music center, the academy’s biggest project
Dow House, will house students during the year and staff for summer camp
The pillars of Vision 2028 include:
Formative experiences which increase time with students and enhance the value
Young artist destination
Student value investments for the curriculum
Engagement and Focus
Moving forward, IAA looks to:
Expand their regional and national initiatives
Invest in faculty with endowed positions
Attract visiting artists
Accelerate individual programs
Increase access and affordability through expanded financial aid
Other interesting facts:
Scholarships: $18M awarded to academy and camp students
50 international students are learning remotely
In-person tuition is slightly higher than remote learning students
National and state support ebbs and flows
And with that, it’s a wrap for November 3, 2020!