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MSA Remote Learning Update

While current coronavirus concerns closed our school campus, MSA faculty and staff continue to inspire, engage and empower students in their artistic endeavors. Remote learning can be a challenge for performing and visual arts – but this is also a time when our students’ creativity and ingenuity can shine. Faculty will continue to teach remotely and be available to our students. Support staff are also working on admissions, class schedules for next year and virtual event planning.

Art has the power to lift us up at a time when we could all use messages of hope. MSA is committed to continuing to offer artistic opportunities for our students and community. Please stay tuned as we are working to reflect those efforts on our website soon.

The MSA Foundation raises over $400,000 annually to support MSA programs the school district can’t provide. With the community, the Foundation enhances and sustains arts education for all MSA students.

MSA is a specialized program within Novato High School. MSA Admissions include an application process followed by an audition/portfolio review. MSA students have daily MSA arts classes and NHS academic classes.

Discover the breadth of MSA programs at Novato High School! Interested students in the 8th grade with a parent or guardian are invited to attend an MSA Family Tour, including all program classes in progress. Click the link to reserve your tour date.

A VISION OF OUR FUTURE

Thanks to the generosity of Novato voters and homeowners and visionary planning from our NUSD leadership, the new Center for the Arts is scheduled to break ground this June.

The multidisciplinary theatre and gallery will be built on the current NHS tennis courts with access directly from the NHS parking lot with completion estimated in 18 months. Our hope is that our current freshmen and sophomore students will celebrate the center’s ribbon cutting in Spring 2021.

The bond measure financed $25-million-dollar project is designed by award-winning architects Shalleck Collaborative and will feature a 450-seat theatre on two levels, and a permanent art gallery with flexible rooms space for classes or dressing rooms. MSA programs will have priority in to accommodate our major productions and exhibitions. The Center for the Arts will also host activities by other NUSD, Novato, and touring groups.

The MSA Foundation is raising funds for state-of-the-art lights, sound and technology through Fund-the-Future paddle raises at our Divine Wine and Showcase performances, which are essential to the completion of this vital community asset to augment the technical package provided by the bond funding.

It’s a pleasure to plan with the Center for the Arts in mind. This process begs for community participation and support. We invite you, our families and community sponsors, to get your creative sparks flying. In what ways might we partner to engage, inspire, and empower our community through the arts in this new facility?

UPCOMING EVENTS

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About the MSA program

Marin School of the Arts (MSA) is an award-winning arts program within Novato High School, a top performing public high school offering challenging and innovative academic programs, as well as outstanding athletic and club offerings.

MSA gives talented and motivated students from across the North Bay and beyond the chance to study with top arts professionals in their fields. As part of a public high school, MSA can offer quality arts programs to a greater variety of young artists. MSA provides college-level arts study in a variety of arts disciplines, which results in students gaining a higher skill set in their studies as well as greater confidence in their abilities. MSA teaches young artists how to follow through on commitments, how to multitask and how to rise to extreme challenges while developing thier individuality and self-identity.

As part of a public high school, MSA is an affordable and cost-effective program which encourages a greater diversity of talented young artists. The school attracts students from across Marin and Sonoma counties as well as students traveling from as far away as San Francisco and Vallejo. This mix encourages a dynamic community of young artists sharing ideas, experiences and projects.

MSA PROGRAMS