Idyllwild Arts

The Idyllwild Arts Academy is home to 300 students from 35 countries and 27 states, all devoted to intensive study of the arts. Located in the beautiful San Jacinto Mountains 2 hours from Los Angeles, 2 hours from San Diego, and one hour from Palm Springs, the Academy is an artistic crossroads for Southern California.

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Dance, Film & Digital Media, Creative Writing, InterArts, Fashion Design, Theatre, Visual Arts, Classical Music, Jazz, Voice, Songwriting

A student’s course of study consists of the arts classes needed for his or her chosen discipline and also the following graduation requirements, which satisfy the University of California’s admission requirements.

National Honors Society, Running Club, Mandarin Club, Environmental Club, SMARTS, PAWS, Arts and Society, Creative Technology, Astronomy Club, Peers Ears, Book Club, LGBTQ, Women's Empowerment, to name a few.

Trevor Hall, Shepard Fairey, Neal Beasley, Nate Lowman, Marin Ireland, Liang Wang, Graham Dechter, Elora Hardy, Casey Abrams

Boarding students cannot have a car

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Online application
2 years of transcripts
2 letters of recommendation-1 artistic and 1 academic
Audition or Portfolio

Changing lives through the transformative power of art.

The history of Idyllwild Arts is a rich tapestry that has been woven by many benevolent patrons, passionate educators, and dedicated visionaries during its seven-decades.

Incorporated as an arts education institution in 1946 by an inspired group of stellar benefactors, Idyllwild Arts was envisioned to provide a secluded place where people of all backgrounds could come together to experience the arts.

The principal founders were Dr. Max and Mrs. Beatrice Krone who assembled a small but prominent group of pioneers — Dr. Robert Kingsley and William Hartshorn, both professors at the University of Southern California, as well as Alfred Wallenstein, conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the time.

The concept was simple: establish an educational arts institution “for the purpose of promoting and advancing artistic and cultural development primarily for the advancement of instruction in music and the arts.”

Thus the Idyllwild Arts Foundation was born and since its inception, Idyllwild Arts has more than fulfilled the legacy of these pioneers.

The Idyllwild Arts Academy is the country's premier and internationally-acclaimed residential arts high school (9th-12th; PG) (September through May) which provides pre-professional training in the arts and a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum to a diverse student body of gifted young artists. Idyllwild Arts Academy's 300 students hail from more than 30 countries and pursue artistic excellence in Music, Theatre, Dance, Visual Art, Creative Writing, Film & Digital Media, InterArts / Fashion Design. Graduates of Idyllwild Arts Academy currently excel in every professional field of the arts including Broadway theatre, primetime television, classical and jazz music, motion pictures, graphic design, photography and more.

The Idyllwild Arts Summer Program provides high caliber arts instruction and memorable arts immersion workshops to a diverse student population of all ages and abilities. Nearly 2,000 children, youth, adults and families participate in the diverse summer program featuring workshops in all the arts and specifically tailored to all proficiency levels and ages. The Summer program provides children, teens, adults and professional artists intensive practical instruction in all the visual arts and performing arts - sculpture, painting, photography, ceramics, jewelry, Native American arts, film & digital media, fashion design, dance, music, theatre and creative writing.