Explore
the Arts
Painting, sculpting, singing, acting, performing, set design—the Middle School arts experience is all about getting creative.
Immersion in the arts is an integral part of the Middle School experience. All students take courses in visual arts and theater, and also have the option of exploring these topics (plus music and dance) more deeply during the Afternoon Program. To further broaden students’ experience of the arts, we take field trips to nearby college art museums, as well as Mass MoCA and the Clark Art Institute.
Have questions?
If you have questions about our arts programs, please contact Director of Middle School Admission, Allison Marsland.
Visual Arts
In our beautiful, light-filled studios, seventh and eighth graders study drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, and a little art history thrown in to boot. To hone students’ observation skills, we also make field trips to the Smith College Art Museum in nearby Northampton, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, and the Clark Institute in Williamstown.
Theater
The Williston Theater is a state-of-the-art, 250-seat performance venue with accompanying rehearsal space, costume shop, and dressing rooms. All of our students study theater, and the eighth graders cap their work with a full-scale production. Every student has a role, whether on stage or in one of the many technical crews.
Dance
Students experienced (or just interested!) in dance can have daily dance classes as part of our Afternoon Program, where they learn and perform alongside Upper School students in our dance studio. In the spring and fall, the dance troupe puts on full-scale performances with top-level costuming, lighting, and music.
"In addition to academics, we appreciate the daily time and instruction in all the extracurriculars: arts, music, theater. It's such an enriching environment."
Parent of a current student
"The beauty of Williston is that it encourages you to try new sports and after-school activites you've never tried before."
Former Middle Schooler, now at Middlebury College
"I never would have known how much I love set and costume design, if I hadn't gotten exposure to them at Williston."
Former student, now in the Upper School
One-of-a-Kind Campus
Williston is an intimate, small Middle School, with access to the remarkable resources of our Upper School. Click this slideshow to see a few of the arts facilities that Middle Schoolers enjoy.
Middle School students can take dance as part of the Afternoon Program. Practices take place in our dance studio. Performances, which happen three times a year, are in our 250-seat theater or chapel.
Our light-filled studios and caring faculty provide the perfect environment for creativity to thrive. Student work fills the Reed Student Center, so inspiration is all around!
We've got everything a painter needs: canvas to stretch, oil paint to squeeze out and mix, and props to study and paint.
Behind the 250-seat theater at Williston are rehearsal spaces, a costume shop, scene shop, and dressing rooms.
Spiral staircases connect our studio art classrooms, lending a sculptural air to the open space.
