*Questions about bus transportation should be directed to your district.
Day One, 2025 Information:
The ST-ARTS program has been running for over 30 years! For many students in the area surrounding Winthrop University, studying the arts has become more than just an activity in their free time. Since its inception in 1989, Winthrop has hosted more than 9,000 students for the annual ST-ARTS (Students with Special Talents in the Arts) program. This program connects middle school-aged students with more than 50 talented artists and musicians and allows them to intensively study a specific arts area. Arts areas include music, dance, design, drama and photography.
To participate in the program, students from neighboring school districts in grades 6-8 apply and audition for the program. Nearly 300 students attend three weeks of music, dance, drama, and visual arts classes on Winthrop’s campus each summer. Most importantly, scholarships are available with participating districts to cover student tuition.
If you are auditioning for the program for school district sponsorship, please prepare the following for your IN-PERSON audition/screening.
Selected participants REGISTER WITH WINTHROP using this form.
ST-ARTS is a program sponsored by the Winthrop University College of Visual and Performing Arts. They work in collaboration with participating districts from York and Lancaster counties to serve over 300 gifted and talented students in the arts grades 6 - 8 (rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders during the June program). Students convene on the Winthrop campus for its annual program.
A professional faculty of over 45 artists and teachers in the four visual and performing arts (dance, music, drama, and visual arts) is drawn from a pool of nationally known performing artists, the SC Arts Commission Artists Roster, master teachers from public and private schools, and the Winthrop University faculty. This diverse faculty directs the students through a multi-faceted curriculum each weekday during the 3 week program.
Students spend the day in a variety of instructional opportunities in their chosen arts area and take full advantage of the facilities on the Winthrop campus. The emphasis of the program is to guide the students through the process of conceptualizing and creating art. Curriculum is designed and evaluated in accordance with the South Carolina Visual and Performing Arts Frameworks. The program concept and curricular design have been cited by the State Department of Education as a model of how an institution of higher learning and a consortium of public schools can work in a cooperative venture to provide a comprehensive fine arts program for talented arts students within the local school districts.
Since its inception in 1989, the summer ST-ARTS Program has served over 5,000 middle school students. Many of our graduates have been selected to attend the Governor's School of the Arts in Greenville, and have gone on to continue their studies at major universities throughout the region.
Our students are currently selected and sponsored by participating school districts of Chester, York, Fort Mill, Rock Hill, and Clover. Since the inception of our summer program in 1989, our districts have completely subsidized tuition for their students.
Winthrop ST-Arts program does not provide transportation. Some participating districts do provide busing.
ST-Arts has expanded the program to include students that are not affiliated with public school districts of York, Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Chester, or Clover counties. Please see information below on non-district sponsored participation.
Program tuition is $740 for all three weeks and is due once you have been accepted into the program. If you are interested in submitting an audition as a non-district sponsored participant, please submit an application form, and the required audition materials.
*One scholarship for full tuition each discipline, (Music, Theatre, Dance, and Fine Arts) is available for non district-sponsored students!
(subject to change)
November
District Audition Screenings: (organized by the school districts)
Fort Mill: Thursday, November 7, 2024
Clover: Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Rock Hill: Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Chester: Thursday, November 21, 2024
York: Tuesday, December 3, 2024
December - February
districts select students for sponsorship
February
district participants receive welcome letter from Winthrop
March
April
registration deadline for all participants
June
Summer ST-ARTS program
All screenings/auditions are coordinated through your school district/organization. Please see below the appropriate contact information to inquire about sponsorship and participation.
Winthrop’s ST-ARTS Program Impacts Local Students Passionate about the Arts!
For many, the impact of the program is much longer than just a summer. Some ST-ARTS students have gone on to attend Winthrop University after high school graduation. Hannah Hustad '16 attended the program for three years. In 2016, she starred as Elle Woods in the Department of Theatre’s production of “Legally Blonde: The Musical.”
“I’m proud to be a student at a school that hosts such a beneficial event,” Hustad said. “I don’t think I realized how important of an opportunity it was when I was younger. You grow so much as an artist and as a human being.”
After participating in the ST-ARTS program, many students continue to be involved as a volunteer. Im Chan ‘02 saw the benefits of the program and served as a volunteer after attending the program as a student. Chan now works as an art conservator in Washington, D.C.
“ST-ARTS was the first time I thought about art in a real way that could be studied and practiced,” Chan said. “I loved being able to work in real art studios at a university, which made it feel like so much more than just a hobby.”
For more information on the ST-ARTS program, contact starts@winthrop.edu or call 803/323-3965.
Jeff McEvoy
Director, ST-ARTS Program
Office: 301 Conservatory of Music
Phone: 803/323-3965
E-mail: starts@winthrop.edu