The Fine Arts Center - Greenville County Schools

The Fine Arts Center (FAC) was established in August of 1974 as the first specialized arts school in the state of South Carolina. Now in our 51st year, we provide pre-professional instruction in the creative, performing and visual arts to high school students who live in Greenville County. Classes are taught by teaching artists who are at the highest level of their field and who all maintain their artistic practice while teaching at the FAC. Our state-of-the-art facility features industry-standard equipment in all studios, a dance studio with a sprung floor, a Recital Hall with livestreaming capabilities, a Black Box Theatre, an art gallery, a recording studio, and various specialized visual arts studios for ceramics, metal works, photography, and fiber arts. Over the years, the student population has grown from 180 students to over 450 students, representing all 15 Greenville County High Schools and a handful of homeschools and charter schools.

Who Can Apply?
Students grades 8-11 have the opportunity to apply and audition for a spot at the Fine Arts Center in one of our many programs, with applications for auditions available between the months of October and January. Auditions take place in late February and early March for placement into the following school year. We are looking for students with a high level of interest and a desire to reach and exceed their potential. 

In order to receive an audition with us, you must be a student in good standing at your school. This means that you complete your homework, put forth good effort in your classes, and a clean discipline record. We will look at your discipline record and grades to ensure that you will be a successful student in the rigorous, independent learning environment of the FAC.

*Students who will not be attending a GCS High School next year - Charter School, Home School, Private School, Virtual School - are welcome to apply to the FAC. Those families must keep in mind the following:

• Charter school students within a district that has chosen to partner with Greenville County Schools, private school students and home school students are eligible to participate in assigned FAC programs on a space available basis with regularly enrolled in-district students having priority.  Students who attend/are planning to attend a non-GCS High School may audition; however, priority for admittance will be given to students who attend/are planning to attend a GCS High School.  GCS students will be granted admission first, and if there are remaining spots in the program, they will be offered to non-GCS students based on their audition score.

• Charter school students within a charter district that has not chosen to partner with Greenville County Schools will not be allowed to attend the FAC.

• You are responsible for confirming that your class schedule will not conflict with the FAC schedule.  We will not allow students to leave FAC early or arrive at the FAC late due to your school's class schedule. Please ensure that there are no conflicts before applying to the FAC.

• FAC Application Opens - Wednesday, October 1, 2025
• Visitations for GCS 8th Grade Students - October through December, scheduled with each school's counselor. Contact yours for more information.
• Audition/Portfolio Workshop - Saturday, November 22, 2025 - details to follow.
• FAC Application Closes - January 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (Thursday)
  • No extensions will be granted.
  • The only exception to this deadline are for families that move into Greenville County after the application closes.
• Final Deadline for Pre-Screening Materials - January 22, 2026 (Thursday)
• Notification of Pre-Screening Results to Applicants and/or Communication of Audition Date/Time to all Applicants - February 4, 2026.
  • All communications done through Acceptd
• Whole School Audition Days - February 7, 14 and 21 (possibly 28th)
• Notification of Results via Acceptd - March 11, 2026
• Deadline for Students to Accept their Offer to the FAC - March 27, 2026