1. Curtis Institute of Music
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Curtis offers diploma, bachelor’s, master’s, and certificate degrees to students and offers each admitted musician a full-tuition scholarship. This ensures that all those selected to attend Curtis show artistic promise and musical talent. Students may take diversified music classes as well as liberal arts courses and participate in concerts, festivals, performances, and other events throughout the year. Philadelphia has also been listed as one of the 30 best cities for musicians and one of the 25 best cities for art lovers.
2. Concordia College
Bronxville, New York
Located just outside Manhattan, Concordia is surrounded by opportunities to study art, theater, and music firsthand. The school’s unique liberal arts program allows students to combine two or three majors together (including art, music, new media, and digital production) for the ultimate creative and flexible academic experience. Concordia also emphasizes experiential learning, and students may choose from a number of unique programs, including the ability to work at an MTV studio, study abroad, or even work Broadway shows into their curriculum.
3. CUNY – Hunter College
New York, New York
Artistic and musically inclined students at Hunter College can major in art, art history, film and media studies, music, theater, or dance. The programs are designed to help students gain experience even outside the classroom, and aspiring artists can curate shows, write catalog essays, or engage in a foreign exchange program, while aspiring musicians can take private lessons or join one of nine different musical ensembles. The school’s tuition is incredibly affordable and much lower than average, despite the fact that the college is located in expensive and crowded Manhattan.
4. University of Maryland – College Park
College Park, Maryland
The University of Maryland – College Park is a large research university with majors in Art History and Archaeology, Studio Art, Dance, Film Studies, Music, Theater, and Museum Scholarship and Material Culture, all within the College of Arts and Sciences. The school also has a Chamber Music Connections Program and Shakespeare Monologue Festival and that focus in K12 outreach, a Choreographer’s Showcase, a Music Technology Lab, and a number of other programs, events, and workshops created specifically for art and music students. Its in-state tuition is close to the average, making it a great deal for Maryland residents, but it’s out-of-state tuition is about $6,000 above average. The university is also in great proximity to Washington D.C. and Baltimore – two great cities for art and music lovers.
5. Endicott College
Beverly, Massachusetts
Endicott has an extensive visual arts program with a number of unique majors, including art therapy, print making, installation, digital media, and mixed media. The school also offers a fifth-year master’s of fine arts program in interior design. Endicott also has a number of updated art facilities, including multiple galleries, theaters, and art studios. Students will particularly enjoy the 250-ft. performance hall, the digital recording studio, the museum-quality art gallery, a rehearsal room, a photography shooting studio, and Macintosh computer labs.
6. Brenau University
Gainesville, Georgia
Brenau University, located just a short drive from Atlanta, one of the musical and artistic centers of the South, has separate departments in theater, music, dance, interior design, and art and design. At Brenau, students receive the best of both art education and liberal arts courses. Special programs include the Young Women’s Art and Design Exhibition and numerous study abroad opportunities. The school has also instituted a generous commitment to consistently upgrade old instruments so that music students only use the very best.
7. Corcoran College of Art and Design
Washington, District of Columbia
“Corcoran” refers to both a prominent art museum in Washington, D.C. as well as a prestigious art school. As a result, students can not only appreciate the surrounding city’s artistic culture, but can also feature their own artwork in the Corcoran’s own public museum – even as an undergrad! The school offers a Visual Artist Series, which brings contemporary designers, musicians, and arts to campus to give presentations nearly every night. The Corcoran is also known for its international programs, especially its Artist in Residence program, which brings international faculty to teach, mentor students, and enhance the cultural vibrancy of the community.
8. Webster University
St. Louis, Missouri
The Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts at Webster is a prestigious and nationally selective program with an impressive array of faculty and renowned artists. The music program even includes faculty members who are members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra! Students get the best of both worlds, with small classes in an intimate setting, access to the artistic cultural center of St. Louis, and opportunities to interact with a diverse student population. At nearly $7,000 less than the average private university tuition rate, Webster is a great home for any student looking to find a home-away-from-home in the Midwest.
9. Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois
The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University consists of both a music conservatory and a theater conservatory. Music conservatory classes are taught by Chicago Symphony and Lyric Opera Orchestra members, Grammy award-winning jazz artists, Metropolitan and Lyric Opera stars, and other widely recognized figures. The university has a strong commitment to global education and offers an ESL summer institute for non-English speakers. Roosevelt has an impressive fourteen musical ensembles and is home to beautiful, modern facilities, including the elaborate 195-seat Ganz recital hall, a 210-seat theater venue, a black box style studio, and a large auditorium partially designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
10. University of Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Located in a suburb of Las Vegas, the University of Las Vegas puts students right at the door of a city exploding with cultural, artistic, musical, and other entertainment venues. The school has below-average tuition for both in-state and out-of-state students, making it a great deal for those who want all the resources of a large research university without the hefty price tag. UNLV has an array of campus facilities for arts students, including theaters, performance halls, studios, and even an architectural library. There’s also an artist-in-residence program that brings esteemed artists and performers to campus from all over the world.