Visual Arts

Visual Arts Magnet Application

The Visual Art Magnet, created in 1984, provides an outstanding program for artistically gifted students pursuing an art-oriented career. VA offers 19 art classes including AP classes in Art History, Design, Drawing, and 3D Portfolio as well as access to programs at The Speed Art Museum, University of Louisville, and local galleries. During their four years at Manual, students will produce a portfolio of artwork suitable for application to a university or a professional college of art. Many students also graduate from Manual Visual Art and succeed in other non-art related careers that require creative problem solving, high order thinking and analytical skills taught in the Visual Art Magnet.

The following items are required to apply to the VA magnet:

A writing portfolio quality essay composed and written by the applicant in response to the following question:
Many visual artists can recall the exact moment when they knew they would pursue an artistic career. Tell us about your specific moment or experience that inspired you to apply to the Manual Visual Arts magnet and how that moment or experience directs you toward your future goals. (500 words)

A completed Activities and Interest survey
List your 5 most important activities. You will indicate leadership positions or membership for each activity.  Your time commitment will be selected from the following choices: less than 6 months, 6 months - 1 year, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, 3+ years. Include any work, volunteer, sport, club or outside organization participation.  You will enter your activities on the online duPont Manual Criteria Portal.  

Recommendations
TWO recommendations from teachers, 

• one current art teacher 

• one teacher who is familiar with the student's academic performance, abilities and commitment.

Portfolio

• Art Questionnaire
  A completed Art Questionnaire.

• Select Three Art Pieces for Review
  Each applicant will submit a slideshow or pictures* of their own three favorite art pieces for review. Art pieces should display the student’s best artwork created during middle school, either in or outside of the art classroom. Some examples are: drawings, paintings, mixed media pieces, textiles, photography, ceramics and sculpture. Artwork drawn from exact observation, rather than copied from a photograph is encouraged. Any cartoons, manga, or anime should be ORIGINAL creations and not copied from another artist’s work. 

Please include the following information about your pieces: 

1. the size of piece  

2. what media it is (include art supplies used to create)

• Three Art Exercises
  Three Art Exercises completed by the applicant. Click here to access the Exercises, directions and submission document. Complete the Art Exercises, and include the link to the slides in your application. A photograph of your work will be used for submission.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Please ensure all of your uploaded artwork photos are high quality, large and well lit.  

Academic

Attendance (optional):

Attending class is critical for success at duPont Manual High School.  Please provide a brief rationale if you have a total of more than ten (10) absences over the past 3 years.  Please include relevant reasons for the absences and any efforts that will be taken to ensure improved attendance if admitted to duPont Manual High School.   

IF YOU ARE A JCPS STUDENT:
We will obtain your attendance, transcript, school administered test scores and grades from JCPS. You do not need to provide this information with your application. However, if you have taken the ACT or SAT and wish to include your score report, please do so.

IF YOU HAVE NOT ATTENDED A JCPS SCHOOL, please submit the following with your application:

• Attendance records for the past three years

• Any standardized test scores, including ACT or SAT if available

• Transcript grades for the past two years

• Most recent grade report for the current year

Please note – Attendance is part of the application review. If your student has had a significant attendance issue in the last three years, please  complete the optional attendance statement portion of the application.  

Behavior

IF YOU ARE A JCPS STUDENT:

We will obtain your behavior report from JCPS. You do not need to provide this information with your application. 

IF YOU HAVE NOT ATTENDED A JCPS SCHOOL, please submit your behavior report with your application.

Helpful Tips:

• Make sure your sharing settings are set to "anyone with the link can view" 

• Make sure your links work 

Approved by Magnet Team (AA) 9/6/2023