Welcome to the Community School of the Arts in Knoxville, Tennessee, named “one of the top arts- and humanities-based programs in the country” by the National Endowment of the Arts and the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and one of 35 Finalists for the 2010 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards.

Founded in 1992, the Community School of the Arts was the first nonprofit organization of its kind in the state of Tennessee to provide free, quality instruction in all the arts to children who would otherwise not be able to afford them. Our instructors are dedicated professional musicians, dancers, artists, and educators. The School also provides all instruments and supplies, offers volunteer tutoring services to youngsters who are struggling academically, and builds long-term mentoring relationships to help students determine their futures.

We are committed to the education and advancement of each child through active participation in all of the arts. Our mission: empowerment; our vehicle: the arts.

The Community School of the Arts is a fully accredited member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education.

News

Sidling up to Side/By/Side

Spring is in the air! For CSA students in the visual arts apprentice program, that means the creative juices are flowing, drills are buzzing and kilns are full blaze in preparation for the annual Side/By/Side Exhibit. Mark your calendars! The Side/By/Side Silent Auction and Reception will be held Friday, June 1, at Bennett Galleries in Bearden.

For the second year, CSA student Sarah Emory, 15, works on mixed media
pieces with artist Robin Surber.

Big news

We're pleased to announce that Community School of the Arts has been nominated by the Tennessee Arts Commission, the East Tennessee Foundation, and the Arts & Culture Alliance for the 2012 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards!

Faculty spotlight: Carol Zinavage

Over the next few months, we'll shine the spotlight on our fantastic faculty members. There's no better place to start than with Knoxville Symphony Orchestra principal keyboardist Carol Zinavage, who is now in her 11th year of teaching at CSA.

Rotary-sponsored visit to Symphony reminds us of a 'Story'

Closing another calendar year at Community School of the Arts means we’re finding many reasons to be thankful for the 19 years behind us and the exciting years ahead.

Rotary Club of Knoxville to Treat Students to Clarence Brown Theatre Production of “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"

How do you spell “generosity”? Today, it’s R-O-T-A-R-Y!

Thanks to the Rotary Club of Knoxville, students ages 12 and over from the Community School of the Arts and their families will enjoy a special viewing of the Tony-Award winning musical "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" on Sunday, November 6, at 2 p.m. at the Carousel Theatre on the University of Tennessee Campus.

Student Apprentices Shine at 15th Annual Side/By/Side Visual Arts Exhibition

Isaac Mobley, 17, wants a new cell phone, so he’s going to make one – out of glass.

Isaac, a senior at both West High School and the Community School of the Arts, is one of 16 participants in the School’s innovative visual arts apprentice program, Side/By/Side, which pairs students with professional artists in their studios for a period of three to six months. Under the instruction of internationally renowned glass artists Richard Jolley and Tommie Rush, Isaac is about to get his wish.

Isaac Mobley begins forming his "cellphone" out of hot glass with the assistance of his Side/By/Side
mentor Richard Jolley.

Thank You, Rotary Club of Knoxville, for a Wonderful Afternoon!

Students and families join the cast of "The Music Man" onstage at the Clarence Brown
Theatre following the matinee performance sponsored by the Rotary Club of Knoxville.

The Rotary Club of Knoxville generously treated 125 students and families from the Community School of the Arts to Clarence Brown Theatre’s outstanding production of The Music Man on Sunday, May 1, as part of Rotary’s Art and Diversity Initiative. Cast, crew, and Rotary volunteers were all gracious and welcoming, and students enjoyed backstage tours, photos with the cast, and a wonderful buffet reception after the matinee performance.

Rotary Club of Knoxville to treat CSA students to "The Music Man"

More than 150 excited CSA students and their families
were treated by Rotary Club of Knoxville last November
to Clarence Brown Theatre's A Christmas Carol.

The Rotary Club of Knoxville will treat children and young people from the Community School of the Arts to a full-filled matinee of The Music Man at the Clarence Brown Theatre on at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 1. Rotary Club of Knoxville has generously donated 200 tickets to the School in order for students and their families to attend the performance, participate in exclusive backstage tours, and enjoy a reception with cast members.

The matinee performance is the second such event of the downtown Rotary Club’s Arts and Diversity initiative this school year: in November 2010, more than 150 CSA students and their families were delighted and enchanted by the Clarence Brown Theatre’s magnificent production of A Christmas Carol as guests of the Rotary Club of Knoxville.