Interdisciplinary Arts Core Curriculum

This class examines contemporary art movements, their historical underpinnings and the cultural and social movements that shaped them. Students study art, performance, literature and film from today and, through research and analysis, connect these artistic expressions to the history of aesthetics and culture. Performances, installations and literature being made at Interlochen will also be used to illustrate discoveries made by student scholars.

This class examines the organizational and personnel structure of arts organizations. Positions and work of individual functions within an arts organization are studied utilizing Interlochen Center for the Arts as a model. IAA instructors and staff bring their perspective and expertise to the classroom as students explore the processes and individuals that make an arts organization run and grow. In addition, this class produces the Interdisciplinary Arts Division performance series Academy Café, an open mic performance series held throughout each semester, which is open to students from all divisions.

In this course, students engage in the supervised development of materials for writing, mixed media and management portfolios and resumes. Students participate in workshops in presentation and interview techniques, and learn standard industry business practices, including the basics of unions and contracts. Students also receive arts career mentorship and assistance with college application preparation.

In this year-long course, students in this class will learn to design and execute original projects while exploring intersectional issues around identity, collaboration, and group process in ways that the artists can use to engage in future work across disciplines. 

Students participate in mentored studies in creative work, focusing on their chosen discipline(s). Each self-directed creative project culminates in a workshop for an in-house presentation each December. In the second semester, projects are developed and refined for presentation in the Interdisciplinary Arts Showcase.

This project-based introductory course explores how artists take their ideas and expressive impulses and turn them into completed works. Daily and weekly “lightning rounds” of art making from prompts, collaborative work, and semester-long conceptual projects are the vehicle through which students discover the nature of idea-driven creation.

This course explores how technology can be used to make artwork. With the understanding that technology can be defined as a paint brush or a computer, and that technology is not art, this class explores how the choices we make create a bridge between the viewer and the individual artist's desire to make a difference. Students will have the opportunity to utilize the ICA Makerspace and discover the integration of art and technology. They’ll gain knowledge about fundamental makerspace tools, such as 3D printing, digital media creation, soldering, and circuits. No prior experience is required, and beginners are encouraged to join. 

This class explores the intersection among arts practice, social change, history and current cultural movements. Students explore these intersections through readings and research, projects and group assignments. Open to all majors.

The Creative Work Project is the culminating experience and final project for Interdisciplinary Arts seniors and post-graduates. In consultation with the Interdisciplinary Arts Division Director, each senior or post-graduate proposes a Creative Work Project that reflects their artistic emphasis and studies while at Interlochen. This is a year-long class. In the fall semester, students develop their proposal in consultation with the Interdisciplinary Arts Division Director and other Interdisciplinary Arts faculty as appropriate. Spring semester is spent executing the proposal. There will be a final presentation in May during the Interdisciplinary Arts Showcase. Students may also be required to present their project as part of the Interlochen Festival. These projects may or may not have a performance component. This course replaces Individual and Collaborative Studio for a student's senior year.