“The arts especially address the idea of aesthetic experience. An aesthetic experience is one in which your senses are operating at their peak; when you’re present in the current moment; when you’re resonating with the excitement of this thing that you’re experiencing; when you are fully alive.”
― Ken Robinson
The world always seems
brighter when you've just made something
that wasn't there before.
- Neil Gaiman
NMUSD ARTS Commission
The NMUSD Arts Commission is a collaboration of educators, staff, school board members, and arts community partners dedicated to the enhance of our arts community within the cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach.
This community group are integral to enhancing our opportunities to every student in our district. Because of this group, our schools receive after school programs, field trips, and opportunities to enhance their development with many of our arts partners.
The NMUSD Arts Commission meets twice a year. Arts Advocates may contact Tamara Fairbanks at tfairbanks@nmusd.us for more details.
About Us
The Arts at newport-Mesa
Newport- Mesa Unified believes that every student must have access to education and opportunities in the Visual and Performing Arts. The teachers and staff that work in our department are dedicated to serving our students and have always committed themselves to finding various avenues to engage students and showcase their work.
Due to the work of our staff in our various arts departments, we have made partnerships with the city, community organizations, and arts community throughout Orange County. We have created venues for student performances, written grants to enhance technology and learning in the arts and have created events and festivals to allow our students to shine.
It is our belief that we are a united community who is constantly innovating, growing and learning on behalf of our students, and with our students. When we enhance students learning in the visual and performing arts, we are enhancing student learning for all things academic.
To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow.
So do it.- Kurt Vonnegut
Mission Statement
Our mission statement stands on the ideal that “All Students Tk-12 at Newport-Mesa Unified School District will experience all forms of the arts throughout their entire experience, that resources are provided to all students regardless of socioeconomic background to ensure equity in the arts education and exemplify the innovation, commitment, and passion that allows us to share the moniker of “The City of the Arts” as stated in the Costa Mesa motto and the “Supporter and Lover of the Arts” as exemplified by the city of Newport Beach.
Meet Our Team
The arts professionals at Newport-Mesa Unified have a long history of providing opportunities for their students. It is the thrive of these professionals that allow our Visual and Performing Arts Department to grow.
The love of these educators have enhanced every aspect of our community to look to the arts as their man focus for support in the arts. From the dedication to our Art professionals in creating showcases for our students to our Elementary music professionals creating bands and choirs at their school sites. These professionals have worked tirelessly to provide a comprehensive arts education for their students.
Our Arts Professionals work throughout all 30 school sites.
Every Elementary School site from TK to 6th grade receives General Music and have opportunities to join Band, Chorus and Orchestra.
Our 38 Middle School and High School professionals deliver a variety of arts programs in Theater, Visual Art, Dance, and Music.
Visual Art showcases student work from Ceramics to Digital Photography. The educators in Visual Art showcase the excellence of student work at the yearly NMUSD Art Showcase hosted at Orange Coast College.
Our Dance department collaborate and create many opportunities for our Dance students to perform in front of their peers and to utilize their skills philanthropically.
Our Theater department produce performances that allow every student to shine. The quality of our theater programs have a reputation of the highest caliber and have been recognized throughout the county.
Our Music department performs for many events throughout the community in addition to performing in front of their peers at concerts, sporting events, festivals and competitions.
