How BIS Abu Dhabi art programs inspire students

How British International School Abu Dhabi unleashes creativity through the power of arts education

PARTNER CONTENT: at British International School Abu Dhabi (BIS Abu Dhabi)creative arts are a key element of student development.

Adriane O’Connor, Director of Creative Arts, highlights the importance of art, music and drama integrated into the British curriculum up to Year 9, resulting in strong GCSE (Year 11) results in Drama, Music, Fine Art and Photography.

IB Diploma Program students (grades 12 and 13) can specialize in one arts subject, further improving their creative skills.

“Creativity is essential in today’s world,” says Adriane, noting that an arts education fosters problem-solving and emotional intelligence.

“By the time students make critical decisions, they already have a deep love for art,” he adds.

Art also enriches students’ engagement with other subjects.

“It helps students think outside the box and collaborate,” he says.

BIS Abu Dhabi’s partnership with The Juilliard School, a private performing arts conservatory in New York, and NYU Abu Dhabi further enhances students’ preparation for the future.

A transformational journey

Adriane explains how the school combines the development of technical skills with creative freedom in the arts curriculum.

“In Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9), we focus on teaching students basic skills such as musicology in music and line drawing in art,” he says.

GCSEs give students more autonomy.

“Even though there are guidelines from the examination board, students are starting to discover their own creative paths,” he notes.

At IB level, Adriane describes the experience as “magical”.

“Students have full control over their projects, and my role is more about directing them,” he says.

The journey from Year 7 to IB is transformational.

“At IB level, students are fearless, willing to take risks and truly thrive as artists,” he adds.

Nurturing talents

Adriane explains that the school places great emphasis on developing individual artistic talents both through the curriculum and an extensive extra-curricular program.

“We have a very comprehensive CCA (collaborative activities) program that allows us to develop creativity in various fields of art,” he says.