About NMSA
Comprehensive Arts Education
New Mexico School for the Arts (NMSA), based in Santa Fe, is the only four-year, statewide, public high school serving artist-scholars across New Mexico with a rigorous, award-winning pre-professional arts and academics program.
NMSA provides students in 9th through 12th grades with intensive, pre-professional instruction in six major arts disciplines, Creative Writing & Literature, Dance, Film & Cinematic Storytelling, Music (voice or instrumental), Theatre, and Visual Arts. Arts disciplines are taught daily by master teachers and professional artists in a 3-hour daily arts block that takes place after the academic day.
NMSA is open to all students in New Mexico who qualify through workshop process. Students can apply to two of the five major departments. A panel of professional artists participate as part the admissions team.
NMSA provides a Residential Program to students who live 65+ miles from Santa Fe.
NMSA’s diverse student body hails from 55 communities and Pueblos from across the state of New Mexico.
Explore the rich history of NMSA’s campus, from its beginnings as the iconic Sanbusco warehouse to its transformation into the creative home of the New Mexico School for the Arts and New Mexico School for the Arts – Art Institute. Learn more about our journey here.
Hugo Pizano ’17
NMSA Alumnus
Merridith Ingram
NMSA Parent
Where Passion Leads to Extraordinary Results
New Mexico School for the Arts fosters a culture of respect to self, others, and the community at-large. We have created an education that supports the whole student: as an artist, a scholar, and a citizen. Our reach is statewide; students from across New Mexico are positively impacted by our programs.
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Retention Rate
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Graduation Rate
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College Acceptance
US Dept of Education National Blue Ribbon School
In 2016, NMSA was designated by the United States Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School
One of Edutopia’s
“Schools that Work”
NMSA has been recognized by Edutopia (George Lucas Educational Foundation) as one of their “Schools that Work.”
NMSA is a Digital Promise “Case Study” School
Digital Promise is a national center created by the United States Congress to advance technologies that transform teaching and learning.
Higher than Average
ACT Scores
NMSA’s average composite ACT score is 22.7, which is 18% higher than the state average and 9% higher than the national average.