The Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) will host its fourth annual College and Career Pathways in the Arts event on Thursday, Jan. 14, at Irvine Valley College. The free event, scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon, is designed to link high school students with colleges, universities, and employers to explore opportunities within the arts.
Students interested in music, theater, visual arts, or digital design can attend to learn how to transition their interests into college majors or professional careers. The event will cover a range of opportunities, including arts education, design, performance, and technical production. Discussions will also address educational pathways, financial aid options, internships, and paid apprenticeships.
The event was initially launched by the Orange County Music and Arts Administrators coalition. Its creation responded to Proposition 28, a measure that provides ongoing funding to expand arts and music education in public schools. The first gathering, hosted by Saddleback College, focused on careers in arts education as schools prepared to grow their programs.
Over the past four years, the event has expanded its scope to include a wider array of creative professions. These now encompass photography, video game development, technical theater, and arts administration. Subsequent events have introduced breakout sessions on topics like audition preparation and portfolio development, alongside general information booths and conversations.
Last year's event, held at Santa Ana College, attracted more than 650 high school students and educators. That gathering provided students with opportunities to hear from professionals in the video game industry, including representatives from Blizzard Entertainment and Riot Games, who discussed career preparation and networking.
For the upcoming Jan. 14 event, Irvine Valley College will welcome participants to its new Performing Arts Center. This location will allow students to explore the college’s technical theater facilities, including its video wall and scene shop. Attendees can learn about careers involving stage production and costuming directly within these professional spaces. More than 200 students from six high schools have already registered, and 15 colleges, universities, and prospective employers have signed up to participate. Expected participants include representatives from UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts, Chapman University, Vanguard University, Concordia University Irvine, Laguna College of Art + Design, Santa Ana College, Cypress College, Saddleback College, and Irvine Valley College. Other organizations such as the California State Summer School for the Arts, Art-E Foundation, Philharmonic Society of Orange County, and Pacific Symphony also plan to attend.
Scott Fitzpatrick, OCDE’s arts coordinator, stated that “Each student’s creative voice is needed in the creative economy, in both the professional and the educational fields.” He further noted that the event encourages high school students to advance their educational and professional journeys in the arts. Fitzpatrick explained that the funding from Proposition 28 has underscored the importance of introducing students to career paths in arts education and the broader creative industry.
Interest in establishing these pathways extends beyond Orange County. Fitzpatrick has shared the event’s framework at statewide gatherings, including an arts education leadership summit presented by Disney Live Entertainment and the California County Superintendents Arts Initiative. Other counties are reportedly beginning to explore similar opportunities based on this model.
Orange County high school students, parents, teachers, and administrators are invited to attend the free event. High school teachers can register their students, though space is limited, and participating schools are responsible for transportation and student permission forms. Colleges, universities, and prospective employers are also invited to register for free information booths to share educational and career opportunities. For additional information, OCDE Arts Coordinator Scott Fitzpatrick can be contacted at [email protected].
