Art — in all of its forms — is woven throughout Speyer’s curriculum.
Arts are a central component of Speyer’s curriculum. Our Art studios and Performing Art spaces are where we encourage our gifted learners to observe the world, take risks, and stretch muscles they may not have known they had. Speyer’s Arts curriculum itself guides and supports students on their artistic journey from Kindergarten through Eighth Grade; however, creative ways for students to express themselves are found beyond the Arts curriculum.
From writing and performing plays as part of a Humanities unit of study to a cross-curricular project creating virtual sculptures in the Makers Lab, from Middle School’s Literary Magazine to afterschool hip hop, improv, or drumming classes, the Arts are an essential part of each student’s daily life at Speyer.
We invite you to explore all of the facets of Speyer’s Arts programming: Studio Art, Dance, Music, and Drama, as well as read about Speyer’s unique partnership with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts below!
As part of its Arts curriculum, Speyer has a partnership with Lincoln Center, one of the world’s foremost performing arts institutions. It should be noted that Speyer is one of only a handful of schools to have this distinctive, hand-in-glove partnership — what makes it unique is that it is not a standard “field trip arrangement” available broadly, but a bespoke relationship tailored for the Speyer community.
Speyer’s division heads, arts faculty, and administration work with members of the Lincoln Center artistic and education teams to shape programming for our students specifically tied to our curriculum, our students’ interests, and the particular rhythms of our school year. We are able to incorporate custom experiences such as exclusive tours and workshops across dance, music, theater, and visual arts and behind-the-scenes access to certain rehearsals and performances at Lincoln Center’s campus. Our students don’t simply attend performances — they are welcomed into rehearsals, tech runs, and conversations with the artists themselves. This is the kind of access most students (and most adults) never have.
In addition to the academic experiences, the collaboration extends to our full community. Families take part in Lincoln Center programs, with VIP access to specific events as well as Speyer-only family programming. This allows our families to witness with their students the extraordinary talents found and championed by our neighbor just down the street. Speyer’s arts faculty also take advantage of professional development at Lincoln Center via workshops and intensives offered.
This is an ongoing collaboration between Speyer and Lincoln Center and reflects a shared belief between our two institutions: arts education is a core part of how children learn to think critically, collaborate, and express themselves with confidence.
