CWA is home to exceptional Visual and Performing Arts programs featuring a breadth of courses and creative opportunities facilitated by talented faculty. Students are encouraged to participate throughout their Upper School careers to achieve deep learning and appreciation for the arts. All students enjoy at least one year each of Visual and Performing Arts courses. The Visual Arts Center features spacious classrooms for ceramics, printmaking, painting, and more, while the Language and Performing Arts Center has both large and private practice rooms, a digital music mixing studio, and a modern black box theater.

Our program is exceptional in providing every middle school student the opportunity to experience both performing and visual arts. At every grade level, students take visual arts as a regular part of their schedule. Visual arts courses allow students to explore many techniques and gain experience with several media we teach at Charles Wright. Sixth grade focuses on 2-D visual art, seventh focuses on integrating technology in 2 and 3-D visual arts, and eighth grade students work in a variety of mediums in preparation for Upper School visual arts. Middle school students also have a full range of opportunities in the performing arts. Our middle school students can be part of a theater production, study drama in a workshop format, or join the choir, orchestra, and/or band, depending on their interests.

For Lower School students, art is very much about process, not product. Our youngest students learn to use their art eyes in the arts studio and to feel the rhythm in the music room. Jr. Kindergarteners through third graders attend visual arts class once a week and music twice a week. Fourth and fifth graders add another choir class.

Beginning in first grade and continuing through the Upper School, private piano lessons are offered on campus during or after the school day as an enrichment program, and “Xtra Art” is also offered after school.