Chesapeake students who want to train in dance, music, theatre or visual arts at a tuition-free conservatory have until Nov. 30 to apply.

Applications for the Governor's School for the Arts (GSA) are due Nov. 30 for the 2027-28 school year, according to a Chesapeake Public Schools announcement. Auditions and portfolio reviews will follow in January and February 2027.

GSA, located at 254 Granby St. in Norfolk, offers conservatory-style training in six disciplines: dance, instrumental music, musical theatre, theatre and film, visual arts, and vocal music.

The program is tuition-free for eligible public high school students and serves eight school divisions across Hampton Roads, including Chesapeake.

Who can apply

All current eighth- through 11th-grade students are eligible to apply, according to the GSA admissions page. Students may audition for up to three departments but must submit only one application.

The process has two rounds. Round 1 is a digital submission. Applicants record a video audition or, for visual arts, photograph their work and upload it with the online application.

GSA asks non-visual-arts applicants to record themselves from a full-body angle, stating their name before the performance begins. A phone recording at home is acceptable.

Students applying to multiple departments must submit separate audition materials for each.

Students selected for Round 2 will be notified in early to mid-January 2027 and assigned an in-person audition date and time at the GSA building.

Applicants may not request a specific audition date.

What each discipline requires

Each department sets its own Round 1 guidelines, posted on the GSA audition page. Requirements include:

  • Dance: A solo of one to three minutes in any style, recorded in dance clothing. Applicants should identify themselves and the choreographer at the beginning of the recording.
  • Instrumental music: Two scales and two pieces, tunes or excerpts, preferably of contrasting styles or time periods. GSA's instrumental program notes a particular need for French horn, flute and oboe players. Associate chair Dr. Stephen Coxe can answer instrument-specific questions.
  • Musical theatre: One memorized Broadway song lasting no more than two minutes and a prepared monologue of no more than 90 seconds. Applicants who consider themselves stronger dancers may also submit a short dance combination.
  • Theatre and film: Three tracks are available — acting, technical theatre and filmmaking. Acting applicants prepare two contrasting monologues of 60 to 90 seconds each. Technical theatre and filmmaking applicants have separate video and project requirements.
  • Visual arts: Three drawings from direct observation and one original artwork. Applicants photograph all four pieces and upload them.
  • Vocal music: One memorized song demonstrating classical vocal potential. Art songs, arias and non-belt musical theatre ballads are recommended.

Students should review their department's complete instructions before recording or submitting materials.

How to apply

All applications are online through the GSA admissions page.

The application requires two essays of 150 to 200 words each, two adult recommendations from non-family members and a middle school grade report or high school transcript. An unofficial transcript is accepted.

One essay asks about the applicant's academic or career goals and how GSA could help achieve them. The other asks students to describe how they express their creativity.

Applicants must upload their audition recordings or portfolio photographs with the online application. Digital files must be named according to GSA's instructions.

GSA advises applicants who have trouble accessing the application to try using a non-school email address and a non-school device.

A recording of the virtual "Meet GSA Night" session for Chesapeake families, held Oct. 8, is available on the admissions page.

Families with questions can contact Michelle Cihak at [email protected] or 757-451-4711.

The application deadline is Nov. 30.