The Visual and Performing Arts Division at Orange Coast College offers expert instruction for the serious art or design student, while simultaneously providing for students who want to enhance their artistic abilities. With courses ranging from ballet to figure drawing to photography to graphic design, students are bound to discover their own means of creative self-expression.
Contact Us
Office Hours
Mon to Fri, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sat to Sun, Closed
The Artist Promise Award
Are you a new student interested in Art, Dance, Digital Media Arts & Design (DMAD), Film & Television, Music, Photography, or Theatre Arts?
The OCC Artist Promise offers a limited number of $1,000 awards to help eligible first-year students pay for tuition, fees, and course materials. Up to 200 students are awarded, with funds distributed in two installments.
Who Is Eligible?
To be considered for the scholarship, students must:
- Declare a major in one of OCC's Visual and Performing Arts programs.
- Create a Student Education Plan with an OCC counselor.
- Enroll in and successfully complete at least one course in their major during their first semester and another during the following semester.
- Maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA.
Student Creative Project Funding
Have an idea for a creative project, exhibition, performance, or event?
Each year, OCC Endowment for the Arts offers funding to support student-led projects and creative activities in Visual and Performing Arts (VPA).
Funding may help students participate in exhibitions, performances, collaborative projects, and other creative experiences both on and off campus.
Who Is Eligible?
All VPA students are welcome to apply through a short application process.
Funding is limited, and not all applications will be approved.* Projects are considered for funding based on available resources and the application review process.
*Restrictions Apply
OCC Endowment for the Art Scholarships
Each spring, the OCC Endowment for the Arts offers Merit Scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 to recognize outstanding artistic achievement among continuing and graduating Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) students.
Scholarships recognize students who demonstrate exceptional creative work, artistic growth, and achievement in their programs.
Who Is Eligible?
Students interested in being considered for a Merit Scholarship must:
- Complete the OCC Scholarship application.
- Follow the requirements for your major. Each program may have specific application instructions, which may including portfolios, projects, performances, or resumes.
- Connect with faculty in your department for guidance on application requirements and expectations.
Application Period: Applications typically open in mid-December and close in late February each academic year.
Important: Merit Scholarships are competitive, and awards are not guaranteed. Scholarship amounts and availability may vary.
Discover our Facilities for the Arts
Art Center
This state-of-the-art facility houses the Visual Arts Departments including Art, Digital Media Arts & Design, Film & Television, and Photography. The Art Center also houses the Visual and Performing Arts Division Offices and includes a gallery for students called the Student Project Space.
Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion
The Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion is an exemplary facility and ranks among the finest in the nation. Designed by architect Steven Ehrlich, the Doyle is OCC’s contemporary art space. Totaling over 7,000 square feet, the primary spaces consist of a large 2,855 square foot Main Gallery and a 1,318 square foot Project Gallery. Both spaces utilize natural lighting filtered through north-facing skylights, and integrate fully flexible gallery lights, allowing multiple lighting scenes.
Robert B. Moore Theatre
Our largest performing space is the Robert B. Moore Theatre. This beautiful, renovated theater was designed by the world famous architect, Richard Neutra. It is a 916-seat theater capable of full-scale Broadway-type shows, dance concerts, and symphony orchestras- home to many OCC Dance performances and Music performing ensembles.
The OCC Theatre Department produces over 30 exciting plays and musicals per year in two stages. Faculty-directed main stage productions of dramas, comedies and musicals shine in the 160-seat Drama Lab Theatre, while the intimate 50-seat Drama Lab Studio is home to OCC's unique student-run theater company The Rep.
