Fine Arts
Our Mission
Oakland Schools is committed to ensuring that every student has access to a transformative arts education. We collaborate with educators in music, visual arts, theater, and dance to support high-quality instruction grounded in research-based best practices. Our goal is to help students cultivate their artistic voices, refine their skills, and nurture a lifelong passion for creative exploration. By blending artistic expression with essential 21st-century skills like communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, we prepare students to succeed in an ever-changing world while promoting a culture that values the arts for all.
Services We Provide
- District Service Planning
- Professional Learning
- Consultation
- Curriculum Development
- Implementation Support
2026 Oakland County Treasurer's Financial Empowerment Arts Contest
We are delighted to announce the 2026 Financial Empowerment Arts contest winners and honorable mentions in partnership with Oakland County Treasurer's Office, Flagstar Bank, and the Oakland Livingston Human Services Agency. In its 15th year, the contest received 153 submissions from 18 public high schools across Oakland County, marking the second-highest participation in its history. Students were invited to submit original work on the theme of financial empowerment in drawing, painting, photography, mixed media, video, and illustration.
Oakland County public high school students were invited to submit artwork related to the importance of financial empowerment. The contest winners will receive cash prizes from a $10,000 sponsorship by Flagstar Bank.
Watch the video below to see this year's submissions and winners
2026-27 Professional Learning Opportunities
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Oakland Schools
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Oakland Schools
Student Art Displays
Oakland Schools is proud to host monthly K-12 student art exhibits, featuring an evening Open House from 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. to accommodate families. Each month features artwork from different districts. Anyone is welcome to view this art during Oakland Schools regular business hours.
Here is the Art display schedule 2025-26.
Art Walk | Student Gallery | Everyone is an Artist
Arts Leadership Council
The OS Arts Advisory Council is comprised of art, music, theater & dance teachers from all 28 school districts in Oakland County. The Council gives input to plan fine arts opportunities for the county, engages in community networking and sharing of best practices in subject-area cohorts, and distributes on pertinent information to their K-12 arts colleagues.
The Council meets four times per year. Meetings are designed to foster conversation and collaboration among districts to advocate for and further high quality Arts instruction. Participants connect, engage in shared learning, and network on pressing topics and best practices. Learning is then taken back to their district Arts colleagues to share and build capacity.
Participants may register individually or as part of a small team representing multiple Arts and/or grade levels. All meetings take place at Oakland Schools from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Registration is free, lunch is on your own and SCECHs are included.
2026-27 Meeting dates:
- Thursday, October 8, 2026
- Wednesday, December 2, 2026
- Tuesday, February 9, 2027
- Tuesday, April 20, 2027
Stay Connected
Want to receive Oakland County Fine Arts updates? Join our listserv to receive our Fine Arts Focus newsletter which includes upcoming professional learning opportunities, as well as local student Arts opportunities like contests, auditions, camps, scholarship opportunities and more.
Resources
- Michigan Merit Curriculum: Visual Arts, Music, Dance & Theater
- National Association for Music Education (NAfME)
- Michigan Arts Education Instruction & Assessment (MAEIA)
- Michigan Music Education Association (MMEA)
- Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association (MSBOA)
- Detroit Orff Schulwerk Association (DOSA)
- Oakland County Financial Empowerment Arts Contest
- American Orff Schulwerk Association
- Michigan School Vocal Music Association
- National Core Arts Standards
- Michigan Art Education Association
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