Oakland School For The Arts At Sweets Ballroom

- 1933 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612

For California residents seeking an unparalleled educational experience that seamlessly integrates a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with intensive arts training, the **Oakland School For The Arts (OSA) At Sweets Ballroom** is a cornerstone institution in the Bay Area. As a tuition-free public charter school for grades 6-12, OSA is dedicated to blending robust academics with immersive, conservatory-style arts education. The school's mission is to cultivate creative and critical thinkers who are prepared for both college and career, fostering a community committed to equity, collaboration, and self-reflection.

Housed in historic, dedicated spaces within Uptown Oakland, including the landmark Sweets Ballroom and the neighboring Fox Theater building, OSA provides students with a unique, professional environment in which to develop their craft. Students are admitted to the school through a public lottery system and specialize in one of ten distinct artistic pathways. The curriculum is meticulously designed to meet the rigorous University of California "A-G" guidelines while providing three hours of intensive arts instruction daily.

This dual focus—academics and arts—makes OSA an extraordinary opportunity for young artists across the Bay Area. The school serves over 800 students, ensuring a diverse and inclusive environment where creative expression and personal growth are paramount. The long school day, running until 4:30 PM, reflects the commitment to giving students the full, necessary time to excel in their chosen artistic field, whether it is performance-based or technical design.

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Oakland School For The Arts is centrally located in the thriving Uptown neighborhood of Oakland, California, a major cultural hub in the Bay Area. The specific facility known as the Sweets Ballroom is located at: **1933 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612, USA**. This prime location places the school in a vibrant, easily accessible urban area, directly benefiting from the cultural resurgence of downtown Oakland and providing students with access to local arts partners and professional venues.

The strategic location ensures that the school is accessible via major public transit links, which is crucial for students traveling from across the diverse California Bay Area. The facility is also committed to physical accessibility, demonstrating its dedication to inclusivity for all students and visitors:

• **Wheelchair accessible entrance:** The entrance to the Sweets Ballroom facility is designed to be fully accessible.
• **Wheelchair accessible parking lot:** Dedicated accessible parking is provided, which is an important feature in a busy metropolitan area like Oakland.

This attention to location and accessibility makes it a convenient and practical choice for California families seeking a specialized education for their child.

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OSA offers a comprehensive **Day Program** that integrates the academic curriculum with specialized, immersive training across multiple artistic disciplines. Students choose one of ten "Pathways" for their artistic specialization:

• **Dance Courses / Dance Training:** Rigorous training emphasizing Ballet, Contemporary, and Body Conditioning, preparing students for professional dance careers.
• **Theatre Courses:** Intensive programs with majors in Acting, Musical Theatre (which includes vocal and dance training), and Directing & Playwriting, studying history, voice, and movement.
• **Vocal Music:** Comprehensive training in ensemble and solo singing across genres including classical, jazz, and musical theatre.
• **Instrumental Music:** Courses in Music Theory, History, and performance technique across a broad range of musical genres.
• **Audio Production and Engineering (AP&E):** High school program focused on recording engineering, sound design, music production, and live sound.
• **Fashion Design Courses:** Project-based curriculum focusing on clothing construction, draping, costume history, fashion illustration, and producing professional runway shows.
• **Visual Art:** Training in painting, drawing, 3D work, installation techniques, and portfolio development for college.
• **Media Arts:** Instruction in digital image creation, filmmaking, animation, digital graphic design, and web design.
• **Literary Arts:** Exploration of creative writing, journalism, fiction, poetry, and non-fiction.
• **Production Design:** Hands-on technical training in Set, Light, Sound, Video, and Stage Management, often supporting OSA's numerous productions.
• **Summer Art Academy / Summer Programs:** Separate, intensive programs offered during the summer break for learners of all levels to gain hands-on experience in various arts fields like Filmmaking, Dance, Creative Writing, and more.

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Oakland School For The Arts stands out in the California educational landscape due to several remarkable features:

• **Tuition-Free Public Charter:** As a public school within the Oakland Unified School District, OSA offers its high-level academic and arts programming free of charge, making conservatory-style training accessible to students from all socio-economic backgrounds across the Bay Area.
• **College Preparatory Excellence:** The academic curriculum is certified to meet the University of California "A-G" requirements, and the school boasts a nearly 100% high school graduation rate, with a very high percentage of seniors accepted into four-year colleges, often with a higher AP exam pass rate than both the state and national averages.
• **Historic Uptown Campus:** The school occupies prestigious and functional spaces, including the historic Sweets Ballroom and sections of the adjacent Fox Theater, providing students with state-of-the-art rehearsal studios, performance venues, and professional technical facilities.
• **Immersive Arts Block:** The school day features a dedicated, three-hour immersive arts block, allowing for deep concentration and intensive technique development that exceeds typical school elective offerings.
• **Professional Partnerships:** Students benefit from partnerships and mentorships with established Bay Area arts organizations, including institutions like the African American Shakespeare Company and Berkeley Repertory Theatre, providing invaluable real-world experience and internship opportunities.
• **Diverse Community:** OSA is recognized for fostering a diverse and inclusive community, embracing differences in culture, identity, ability, and background, which enriches the collaborative artistic experience.

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For California families interested in enrollment, attending public events, or learning more about the academic and arts offerings at this premier **Art school**, please use the contact information below. While the Sweets Ballroom is a key location, the main administrative and academic functions are generally linked to the broader OSA campus:

• **Address:** 1933 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612, USA (Sweets Ballroom Location)
• **Phone:** (510) 873-8800
• **Mobile Phone:** +1 510-873-8800

Prospective students and their families are strongly encouraged to contact the school to learn about the current enrollment process, which now utilizes a public lottery system, and to inquire about information sessions or campus tours to fully experience the vibrant atmosphere of the campus.

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Choosing Oakland School For The Arts for a young person in California is an investment in a future where artistic passion and academic rigor go hand-in-hand. What is truly worth choosing here is the **unique model of rigorous artistic specialization within a tuition-free public system**. This combination is incredibly rare and provides Bay Area families with access to conservatory-level training—be it **Dance Training**, **Theatre Courses**, or **Fashion Design Courses**—without the financial burden typically associated with such specialized institutions.

The benefit extends beyond the classroom. The school’s integration into the local arts scene, its central location in Uptown Oakland, and its commitment to meeting the highest academic standards (A-G requirements) mean that graduates are not just highly skilled artists but also competitive college applicants and resilient global citizens. The opportunity to train in the historic Sweets Ballroom and perform at the Fox Theater offers an unparalleled, professional exposure that few high schools in California can match, ultimately shaping students who are ready for both artistic careers and higher education.

Oakland School For The Arts At Sweets Ballroom

1933 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612, USA