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Interlochen Center for the Arts set to reinvent online arts education

Interlochen Online’s re-engineered approach to online education is designed to present the best possible way to study arts education online.

Patrice Rushen concert

Although Interlochen Center for the Arts is approaching its centennial, the world-class Michigan-based arts camp and academy has its sights set on the future. This January, Carin Nuernberg, the inaugural Executive Director of Interlochen Online, and her team will re-launch Interlochen Online from the ground up, with a best-in-class learning experience and six newly created online courses covering a variety of arts areas.

“Our goal is for Interlochen Online to be recognized worldwide as the premier place for young learners to go to get an exceptional education online in the arts,” Nuernberg said.

Interlochen Online’s relaunch reflects the organization's interest in and commitment to the field of online arts education.

“As technology evolves, online platforms have become increasingly viable—and desirable—avenues for arts education,” said Interlochen Center for the Arts President Trey Devey. “Through Interlochen Online, we hope to remove geographical, socioeconomic, and temporal barriers to studying the arts and share our world-class programs and faculty with students around the globe.”

Propelled by a directive from President Devey and Interlochen’s Board of Trustees, Nuernberg and her team have set out to reimagine online education for young learners.

“When we originally launched Interlochen Online in Summer 2020, students in group classes needed to be available on a specific day and time in order to connect with their teacher,” Nuernberg said. “We’re moving to a model that is much more flexible and holistic by offering multiple ways to engage with the teacher and the learning experience.”

The new curricular model includes two types of offerings: courses and private lessons.

Courses are four weeks in length and are priced at $495 per course. Each week, students complete a set of structured learning activities, which include instructional content designed by faculty and the IO team as well as opportunities to interact with peers, engaging projects, and personalized feedback from their instructor. The new courses for the upcoming Winter session are:

Private lessons enable students to participate in weekly, one-on-one training sessions with Interlochen’s acclaimed faculty and are available in acting, college admissions advising, creative writing, dance, film & new media, music, musical theatre, and visual arts. Private lessons are offered on an a la carte basis and are $100 per session.

Interlochen Online will feature a learning environment designed to promote belonging and evoke Interlochen’s northern Michigan campus.

“We want it to be a place where students want to stay, a place that represents all that is serene and welcoming about Interlochen,” Nuernberg said. “We’re leaning into all the ways students can interact with others, including ways to message each other, have group discussions, engage with the teacher, and get meaningful feedback on work they have created.”

Nuernberg’s vision for the future of Interlochen Online also includes expanding program offerings to encompass all seven of the institution’s artistic disciplines, developing certificate programs, and leveraging Interlochen’s diverse and talented alumni as instructors.

“Interlochen is an extraordinary place,” Nuernberg said. “My job is to expand Interlochen through online realms, to make sure that Interlochen Online students feel equally connected and inspired by the Interlochen experience, and to motivate them to continue to cultivate their interests and passions.”

Registration is now open for the Winter 1 session of Interlochen Online. Classes begin Jan. 17, 2023.