FAST FACTS: UNCSA
- Established: 1965
- Enrollment: 1,305 (1,040 college, 265 high school)
- Campus: 79 acres
- Mascot: Fighting Pickles
- UNCSA has five schools: Dance, Drama, Music, Filmmaking, and Design & Production.
- The Schools mascot, The Fighting Pickle, was meant to be a joke.
- With a $30.9 million state appropriation, UNCSA represents less than 1% of the UNC system budget.
- The “Conversations” sculpture on UNCSA’s campus houses the cremated remains of Philip Hanes Jr. It’s the only campus in the country with an art piece used for interment.
Winston-Salem is home to UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA), the nation’s first public arts conservatory. The School contributes to the city’s culture and arts scene with almost 300 public performances annually. Among those performances is The Nutcracker ballet, a production the UNCSA Schools of Dance, Design & Production, and Music have collaborated annually on for nearly 60 years.
Click here for UNCSA’s 2023-2024 performance calendar.
Aside from performances, UNCSA avidly supports the local arts community. The School is an incredible asset to Winston-Salem as they frequently sponsor events like the RiverRun Internal Film Festival. UNCSA’s Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem is a historic performing arts venue serving as the School’s most extensive learning laboratory. The Stevens Center is an economic driver for downtown Winston-Salem and a cultural destination for residents and visitors. In November, UNCSA will begin renovating the Stevens Center, a project totaling $81 million.
Aside from all that UNCSA brings to Winston-Salem, it’s exciting to learn that some of the world’s most talented and notable artists started their professional journeys here. UNCSA has an impressive list of famous alums. Next time you watch a UNCSA performance, remember that you’re likely in the presence of rising stars.
