Day in the Life of an Arts Student

Thursday 27th March 2025

The life of an art student is a vibrant journey of self-discovery that extends far beyond the classroom. It offers many opportunities to explore creative passions, acquire new skills and cultivate confidence. We encourage our students to immerse themselves in exciting projects and experiences, making the process as enjoyable as it is enriching.

Creative process

Whether they’re engaged in performance, music or design, the daily routine of an arts student includes a lot of time exploring and refining their artistic vision. Our students are encouraged to explore various disciplines to figure out the art disciplines they connect with. From there, they develop concepts, audition, collaborate on ideas and begin practising and developing. With the support of their peers and teachers, arts students immerse themselves in understanding their creative pieces and developing their techniques.

Dancers use their creativity to practise their routines, refining their movements and expressions to perfect their performance. Actors explore their characters by rehearsing lines and stage movements to fully embody their roles and connect with their audience.
Musicians develop their interpretations of pieces by rehearsing their playing or singing to achieve technical precision and emotional depth. Artists experiment with their mediums to refine their techniques and conceptualise work to bring their vision to life.

The final part of the creative process is presentation, where students share their hard work and passion with an audience. This sharing could take the form of a performance or showcase. From start to finish, this journey allows arts students to express their creativity, connect with like-minded peers, and deeply engage with their chosen art.

Facilities and resources

Our College provides various facilities for arts education, such as studios, music rooms, and performance spaces. Stocked with all the tools, materials, costumes, and instruments needed, our classrooms give students everything they need to enhance their learning journey and production quality.

Our collaborative spaces offer students the chance to practise daily with their peers, gain mentorship from faculty members, and find alone time to focus without distractions. By having consistent hands-on experiences, students begin to apply their knowledge, experiment with new techniques, and grow their skills, which promotes innovation and personal self-development.

Collaborative projects

Teamwork and connection are vital in the arts. As a College, we provide numerous opportunities for students to collaborate with one another and create something exceptional. We offer students the opportunity to participate in the College play or musical production throughout their schooling, where they prepare to take on significant roles, rehearse with confidence, and perform like pros.

We also offer spots for Cantabile, a Liturgical Choir a Religious Education elective for students in Years 10 to 12. In Cantabile, students share their love for scripture, prayer, and music as they perform. Across our three campuses, we have over ten music ensembles for a variety of instruments and genres, such as jazz, rock, concert, vocal, brass, and guitar, where students work together to create a beautifully sounding performance.

Our Annual Cabaret Night during Term 4 allows students to represent the Performing Arts with a dynamic and vibrant music, dance and drama showcase. Presentations are delivered with professional lighting and sound, creating the perfect ambience for the whole evening.

The Instrumental Music Performance Evening is an opportunity for all students involved in the instrumental music program at the College to perform in front of family and friends. Each of the College’s ensembles is also allowed to perform on this evening. All three Campuses are involved in this performance evening, allowing our junior students to learn from senior music students and see what they could be involved in when they move to the Beaconsfield campus.

Future aspirations

Whether it’s preparing for a university arts program or launching a career in the creative industry, we strive to support our student’s future aspirations. Their academic and arts journeys are vital to us, so we put a lot of time and energy into crafting our programs.

Through our subjects and extracurricular opportunities, we let students’ passions shine while helping them develop discipline in their craft and strong critical thinking skills to overcome challenges. With these skills in their back pocket and their passion at the forefront, students are well-prepared for whatever comes their way.

Arts Education at St Francis Xavier College

A day in the life of an arts student at St Francis Xavier College is a blend of creativity, collaboration, and preparation for the future. With amazing facilities, supportive faculty, and a vibrant community of fellow artists, we empower students to pursue their passion and realise their artistic dreams.