For students who come to participate in this scene, two performing arts programs stand out in the Tampa area. First, the University of South Florida makes sure that its theatre and dancing students gain the highest training possible. That means a rotating selection of top guest faculty in addition to local faculty, all leading students through semesters punctuated by major performances and intense studio training. The University of Tampa's Department of Speech, Theater and Dance also aims help its student explore their talents, while providing balanced instruction in music, dance, and drama.
To work, or not to work, you ask? That is indeed the question. The government estimates that through 2012, there should be 12.4% job growth for the performing arts in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa. This would be an increase in full-time jobs for actors, dancers, musicians, and related workers – but you can always do the day-job thing and work part-time in the arts if that better suits your lifestyle, or while waiting for that perfect performance job to come along.
Performing Arts Schools, Programs & Courses
in Tampa
Subjects listed are highlights of programs
and/or courses offered.
Why Tampa is a Great Place to Study Performing Arts
Tampa Bay, Florida, is a creative city where the volunteer theaters and the community orchestra coexist with and thrive next to the professional opera and the city performing arts center, because all of them have the support of this active community – a community knows the value of culture and artistic expression. Tampa strives to foster this environment with organizations such as the Creative Industries Council, a committee established to advise the City of Tampa's Arts and Cultural Affairs Department on ways to support the arts to benefit the entire community both culturally and economically. And nearby Tampa Bay has the Tampa Bay Performance Arts Center – the largest such facility in the southeast United States, which was ranked in 2004 as having the 3rd-highest ticket sales in the country for a venue seating less than 5,000.
Other Resources for Performing Arts Education and Careers in Tampa