Creative Arts Program

St Andrew’s College runs a comprehensive Creative Arts program, with opportunities in disciplines such as music, drama, visual art, creative writing, and dance. The program aims to provide both high-level professional development opportunities for advanced artists, as well as general opportunities for participation at all levels to increase well-being and personal development.

Music ensembles

Currently the College supports a chapel choir, a big band, and a chamber string ensemble. These core ensembles are student-led and open to all college residents. Each ensemble generally rehearses on a weekly basis during semester and enjoys a range of performance opportunities. Various auxiliary ensembles run depending on student demand; these include chamber music such as string quartets and piano trios, jazz combos, big choir, music theatre ensembles, rock bands, and a cappella vocal groups. While running under student leadership, Creative Arts also offers the opportunity for professional mentorship by established musicians.

Creative Arts scholarships

A range of Creative Arts scholarships are available to new and returning residents each year. The scholarships are available by application, and awarded through an audition and interview process. Visual artists, composers, and creative writers may submit a portfolio. Scholars form the backbone of the College’s Creative Arts program, taking up leadership roles, bringing new ideas into the College, and engaging fully in the program in order to inspire and lead their peers.

Palladian Cup

The Intercol performing arts competition, the Palladian Cup, is a year-long campaign across multiple genres of the arts. Participation across the various categories is usually student-led and provides opportunities for students to be involved in a range of different activities including group dance, choir, musical ensembles, debating, drama, and art.

DramSoc

DramSoc is a student-led theatrical production. Running in second semester of each year, a play is chosen by a cast of student creatives, including director and producer, who audition their peers for acting roles. The entire production is put together by the student creative team, with assistance from Operations, and plays in the dining hall each year to a capacity audience of members of the college community.

Performance program

There are a range of performance opportunities for college residents throughout the year. These include coffee concerts for solo and small group performances, student-led performances involving the various ensembles, opportunities to perform at chapel services, and at college events and dinners. Students are also welcome to organise performance events of their own which the Student Life Department can facilitate. A more informal opportunity is offered by the Student Club’s Jam Nights, held at regular intervals throughout the year.

Artist in Residence

The college appoints one Artist in Residence each year. The Artist in Residence may work in any discipline within the Creative Arts and provides an opportunity for college residents to be mentored by, and to experience life alongside, a professional who is fully engaged in arts practice.

Mentoring

The Creative Arts program can offer a range of opportunities for students to be mentored both by their peers and by professionals in the industry. This includes booking professional mentors for student ensembles on request, and ‘Real Arts School’, a series of workshops featuring respected professionals sharing their advice on how to survive and thrive in the industry.

Professor Ian Jack Prize for New Creative Work

Open to all college residents for new creative works in any discipline, the Ian Jack Prize consists of up to five prizes with a total prize pool of $3,250. The prize runs annually in second semester.