Creative Arts
Creative Arts at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School nurtures the next generation of creatives from across Greater Western Sydney, developing strong critical thinking, practical skills, and an individual creative voice. We offer diverse learning pathways across Years 7–12 and through VET, including Visual Arts, Visual Design, Ceramics, Photographic and Digital Media, Photography, Video and Digital Imaging, and Certificate III qualifications in Visual Arts and Contemporary Craft and Screen and Media.
Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School is also the lead school for the Department of Education’s Deadly Arts Program, an initiative that strengthens First Nations students’ cultural understanding while supporting their engagement with contemporary creative arts practice.
Educational opportunities are enriched through strong partnerships with Western Sydney University, National Art School, Nepean Arts and Design Centre, Dalmarri, Aboriginal Arts Exchange, Penrith Regional Gallery – Lewers Bequest, and Eckersley’s Art & Craft.
Through specialist teaching, strategic partnerships, and transformative creative experiences, Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School creative arts students have achieved success across regional, state, and national platforms, including Art Express, the Nagoya Art Exchange, the NSW Reconciliation Challenge, Young Archie, Penrith Regional Gallery’s Youth Art Competition, Young Archie Competition, Trashion Fashion, installations at NSW Parliament House, and the Penrith Young Innovators Awards.
Students further showcase their work through professional exhibition opportunities such as the Nepean Festival of Arts and Design, Meet the Maker, Penrith NAIDOC, the Nagoya Sister City Arts Exchange, and the Blue Mountains Portrait Prize.
The spirit of creativity runs deep at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School, enriching the learning, achievements, and creative contributions of our students and wider community. We invite you to join us.
- Visual design and composition skills
- Digital media and technology use
- Creative problem-solving
- Independent project management
- Artistic self-expression
- Collaboration and team work
Creative arts students are provided with a wide range of professional exhibition opportunities that allow them to showcase their work beyond the classroom and engage with authentic arts audiences. These exhibitions respond to opportunities that arise annually, enabling students to participate in local, regional, national, and international platforms.
Key exhibition opportunities include established events such as the Nepean Festival of Arts and Design, Meet the Maker, Penrith NAIDOC, the Nagoya Sister City Arts Exchange, and the Blue Mountains Portrait Prize. Through these experiences, students exhibit resolved works in professional settings, gaining valuable insight into curatorial practice, presentation standards, and audience engagement.
Exhibition opportunities also extend into virtual spaces, including online galleries, school newsletters, and social media platforms. These digital exhibitions allow students to share their work with wider audiences, build digital portfolios, and engage with contemporary modes of creative presentation.
Together, these exhibition experiences celebrate student achievement, support professional pathways, and reflect the evolving opportunities that arise each year within the creative arts sector.
- Portfolios of practical work
- Written reflection and art criticism
- Group creative projects
- Presentation of completed artworks
- Visual arts studios and specialist classrooms
- Digital media and design software
- Photography and film equipment
- Exhibition spaces for showcasing work
Extra-curricular
ART EDGE | TUESDAY & THURSDAY 7:30AM – 8:55AM | $120 PER YEAR
Art Edge provides a myriad of opportunities for students eager to explore their creativity, expand their horizons, and showcase their art to the world. The program supports students to develop and refine professional portfolios through opportunities to enter artworks into a range of competitions and exhibitions, enabling them to demonstrate their talents beyond the classroom.
ARTS IN THE COMMUNITY | WEDNESDAY | $40 A TERM | TERMS 1, 2, 3, AND 4
Arts in the community is a site-specific studio experience that builds greater community connection to the Creative Arts. Students partake in the design and production of public artworks and produce works responding to a site. This studio is held on Wednesday afternoons.
DEADLY ARTS | FRIDAY 3.00PM – 5.00PM | NO COST | TERMS 1, 2, 3, AND 4
This Studio is supported by the Department of Education Deadly Arts Grant.
In collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professional artists and educators, First Nations students enhance their ability to express themselves authentically and creatively across diverse visual media.
FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL | STUDENTS YEARS 7-12 | YEARLY | FREE
Friends of the Festival gives students a firsthand opportunity to experience arts industry roles while helping bring a regional arts event to life. During the week-long installation, built on a year of planning, students work alongside staff, artists, and partners to support all stages of preparation, including curatorial tasks, exhibition setup, lighting and spatial design, media documentation, hospitality, front-of-house, visual merchandising, event setup, and signage.
MEDIA TEAM | SCHOOL CALENDAR EVENTS AND MARKETING | NO COST | EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL
The Media Team documents key school events, including carnivals, assemblies, special events, performances, and exhibitions, capturing both dynamic moments and polished editorial images that elevate our visual storytelling. Alongside photography and videography, they also produce short films, animations, and creative digital content that enrich school promotions and support major initiatives.
Their work strengthens our publications, enhances the school’s visual identity, and fosters a strong sense of community. Importantly, students gain valuable hands-on experience in journalism, media production, animation, filmmaking, and project management.
NAGOYA SISTER CITY ART EXCHANGE PROGRAM | SCHOOL CALENDAR EVENT | NO COST | MATERIAL PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL
Creative Arts students are invited to participate in the Nagoya Sister City Art Exchange Program, a long-standing partnership that celebrates artistic collaboration between the Department of Education and Nagoya, Japan. Students contribute artworks that reflect their personal style, cultural identity, and creative learning, sharing their perspectives with an international audience.
This exchange deepens cultural understanding, strengthens artistic communication, and fosters meaningful cross-cultural connections. Selected works are exhibited in Nagoya and later donated to the City of Nagoya’s permanent collection, giving students a rare opportunity to showcase their creativity on an international stage and contribute to an ongoing cultural friendship.
PENRITH OPEN STUDIO | MONDAY 3:30PM – 5:30PM | NO COST | TERMS 2 AND 3
This opportunity is provided at no cost to students studying in the Penrith region. Places are limited to 20 students.
Penrith Open Studio is a grant-funded youth engagement program that connects young people (ages 12–17) in the Penrith region with the visual arts. Delivered in collaboration with Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School (NCAPAHS) and Penrith Regional Gallery, Lewers Bequest, the initiative offers a tailored learning experience that supports participants to explore their artistic interests, strengthen critical and creative thinking, and engage with emerging artists and industry professionals. The program includes the development of an exhibition at Penrith Regional Gallery, supported by guided visits and creative sessions throughout the process.
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