North Gwinnett News

The School of the Arts (SOTA) at Central Gwinnett High School is now accepting applications from students interested in pursuing arts education. The program is open to current 8th-grade students in Gwinnett County Public Schools who can apply for either the SOTA Conservatory Program, which requires an audition or portfolio, or the SOTA Fellows Program, which has no admissions criteria. Students entering grades 10-12 next school year may also apply, although availability will vary by Conservatory.

Transportation is provided for students within the Central Gwinnett Cluster, while those from other clusters must be eligible for permissive transfer and arrange their own transportation. The deadline to apply for the Conservatory is November 26, with applicants being informed of their audition date and time by December 8.

An information meeting and pre-audition workshop are scheduled for Thursday, November 2, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Auditions will take place on January 2 and 3, with acceptance notifications expected in mid-January 2024. Final acceptance depends on grades being finalized in June 2024.

SOTA provides a unique "arts-centric" learning experience featuring the most extensive fine arts curriculum in the district. Areas of focus include Art and Design, Dance, Music Technology and Audio Production, Theatre, and Voice. Located centrally in Lawrenceville as a "school within a school," SOTA offers opportunities to work with industry professionals and collaborate with semi-professional, professional, and postsecondary arts organizations.

The program combines academic coursework with expanded fine arts classes and internships at both pre-professional and professional levels. It includes an audition-required Conservatory Program as well as a Fellows Program offering elective courses focused on the arts.

Housed in a state-of-the-art facility spanning 31,000 square feet, SOTA features a black box theatre for flexible staging; visual arts classrooms; computer art labs; enhanced band, orchestra, chorus facilities; music technology studios; dance studio space; private lesson areas; along with performance rehearsal spaces. The faculty comprises creative industry professionals who provide innovative instruction aimed at developing skills necessary for success in various artistic fields.