CL - Wesleyan's Center for Creative Youth

Wesleyan’s Center for Creative Youth (CCY), is a precollege summer program in the arts for students ages 14–18. Talented high school students from across Connecticut, the United States and around the world will gather for four weeks of intensive study in the arts.

• CONCENTRATIONS in Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Musical Theater, or Creative Writing
• EXPLORE new art forms in master class workshops with visiting artists
• CONNECT to a community of young artists from across the U.S. and abroad
• CHALLENGE yourself to discover your artistic voice

For more information, visit our website here or call 860-685-3341.

For more than 40 years, the Center for Creative Youth (CCY) has given artistic students focus, validation, and motivation through an advanced, progressive curriculum emphasizing critical thinking, interdisciplinary and multicultural learning, and leadership skills.

World-class shows, guest artists, master classes, and field trips, as well as dances, open mic nights, and share days against the backdrop of Wesleyan’s historic campus fill the summer with creative inspiration and provide students with access to an unparalleled community of artists.

Nothing is “sugar-coated” here — expectations are high for students both in the classroom and in the residence, but the staff is dedicated to ensuring that students feel supported and prepared to succeed in an environment that values their individuality.

CONCENTRATIONS

Creative Writing

Emphasizing fiction and non-fiction prose and poetry, students develop their writing skills through daily classes, special guest workshops and peer review. A juried literary magazine is produced at the program and becomes part of the student portfolio.

Music

Wesleyan has one of the oldest ethnomusicology departments in the country and is home to a wide range of both world music traditions and compositional practices, which CCY students will have the opportunity to study in depth. Students will attend master classes with prestigious guest artists and will perform several times throughout the program.

Musical Theater

Integrating concentrated actor training with daily voice work and dance classes, students work on solo and ensemble performance skills using a wide range of styles from traditional to contemporary. Audition preparation and master classes are also key components of the program, which include and multiple performance opportunities.

Theater

Students start each day with Suzuki method intensive exercises in ensemble building, physical core strength, focus and concentration, voice, and diction. They then focus on text work, based primarily on the Laban and the Viewpoint techniques, culminating in a devised-work intensive.

Visual Arts

Coursework includes traditional drawing, painting, sculpture and mixed media. Students will experiment in each discipline, with an emphasis on foundation building, problem solving, and conceptual exploration. Students will develop portfolios, and receive coaching in the college application process.

PROGRAM DATES

Applications due: March 1, 2020
Auditions: March 14, 2020 at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT
Acceptance notifications: April 3, 2020

Students move in: June 28, 2020
Open Class Share Day: July 18, 2020
Students move out: July 25, 2020

PROGRAM COST

Residential Program* 

The total cost of the residential program is $4,400 ($1,900 tuition plus $2,500 room and board.)

Day Program* 

The total cost for day program only is $2,650 ($1,900 tuition plus a $750 student activities fee.) 

Summer Session – College Credit Option

Additional charges apply: $3,500 per credit in addition to the CCY program fees. Please note that financial aid is not available for this option.

*Limited financial aid is available. Financial aid applications will be online January 15, 2020.

HOW TO APPLY

The Center for Creative Youth is open to all high school students ages 14-18. Students must have completed at least one year of high school, demonstrate a maturity level that proves readiness for a college prep program, and be focused on the arts. Selection is based on your online application, an audition/portfolio review, and program interview.

In addition to your online application, please be prepared to submit the following.

Two Teacher Recommendations: You only need the email addresses of the teachers you are asking for a recommendation from. There is a form in your application that will be automatically sent to them once you apply, and automatically uploaded to your application once they complete it. We suggest ONE recommendation from an arts teacher and ONE recommendation from a non-arts teacher (a guidance counselor, academics teacher or an adult in the community). Teachers may complete the form automatically generated in your application OR they may write a letter of recommendation that gives us an estimate of your ability in your chosen art form. This letter should discuss personal characteristics, such as initiative, reliability, leadership qualities, and the ability to work with others.

Photo: Please submit a photo of yourself. This photo will be used for your Wesleyan ID card and appear on our Friends and Faces poster upon acceptance, so please make sure it is a clear photo of your face (photo size on the poster is 1x1 inch)

Financial Aid Application: Available online February 1, 2020.

• Complete and sign the form 
• Mail the form to: Mary Kelly – CCY Financial Aid 74 Wyllys Avenue Middletown, CT 06457 
• Or Email the form to: mgkelly@wesleyan.edu
• Financial Aid Deadline: March 25, 2020 

Audition: All applicants must audition regardless of their concentration. We have options to audition live, to submit a video audition or to submit your portfolio for review. Based on your concentration of choice and availability to attend the Connecticut auditions; please select the appropriate Program Group to start your application.

Each audition will include an evaluation of work by the departmental instructor and a program interview with a member of the CCY team.

All applicants are encouraged to attend the audition at Wesleyan University for a broad experience of the campus, staff, and other applicants. 

Those unable to attend an audition/interview in person can apply online by submitting the required files with their application.

For technical questions please contact the Acceptd Support Team at support@getacceptd.com or by calling 1-888-725-2122. Check out our Help Desk for frequently asked questions.