ABOUT THE COMPLEX PERFORMING AND CREATIVE ARTS CENTRE
OUR MISSION
The mission of The Complex Performing and Creative Arts Centre is to provide exceptional arts education, foster creative critical thinking, and cultivate a lifelong love of the arts. We strive to create an innovative hub for learning, performance, collaboration, and artistic exploration where students are empowered to grow as artists, learners, and individuals.
AUTHENTIC ARTS EDUCATION
The Complex has intentionally chosen an educational model that prioritizes learning, artistry, and growth.
We do not participate in dance competitions. Instead, we invest our time and resources in training, performance, creative development, collaboration, and authentic artistic experiences. Our focus is not on trophies or rankings, but on helping each student achieve their own personal best while developing a lifelong relationship with the arts.
We also believe families should not be burdened with excessive costs associated with participation. Through transparent tuition structures, limited costume expenses, and thoughtful program design, we work to make high-quality arts education accessible to our community.​​
Arts Education Rooted in Creativity, Community, and Growth
OUR PHILOSOPHY
At The Complex, we believe arts education should be rigorous, accessible, and transformative.
While many arts programs focus primarily on performance outcomes, we believe the most meaningful learning occurs through the creative process itself. Students learn by exploring, questioning, experimenting, collaborating, revising, and creating. Through this process they develop not only technical mastery, but also confidence, discipline, resilience, empathy, communication skills, and creative problem-solving abilities.
We believe students should be more than consumers of choreography, scripts, music, and artistic products.
They should be makers.
Our students are encouraged to develop their own artistic voices, contribute original ideas, engage in creative inquiry, and participate actively in the artistic process. Whether they are learning a dance combination, devising a theatre piece, composing music, creating visual art, or collaborating on an interdisciplinary project, students are challenged to think critically and create meaningfully.
COMMUNITY AND CONSERVATORY
The Complex occupies a unique space within arts education.
We are both a community arts school and a conservatory-style training program.
Students seeking advanced artistic training have access to rigorous instruction, performance opportunities, mentorship, and pre-professional experiences. At the same time, students who simply wish to explore the arts in a welcoming environment receive the same level of care, respect, and educational commitment.
We believe excellence should be accessible.
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The Complex Performing and Creative Arts Centre was established in 2004 by Nichola Johnson. In 2011, Julie Watt joined as Co-Director. Together, Johnson and Watt bring a lifetime commitment to arts education, creative practice, and community engagement.Both hold Master of Fine Arts degrees in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College and are practicing artists, educators, and advocates for meaningful arts experiences. Their shared vision has shaped The Complex into a unique educational environment where artistic excellence, creativity, and personal growth exist side by side.
WHY FAMILIES CHOOSE THE COMPLEX
We are a community arts school and conservatory-style training program dedicated to helping students grow as artists, learners, and individuals.
Families choose The Complex because they are looking for authentic arts education—an environment where students are challenged, supported, and encouraged to develop both technical mastery and creative confidence.
PROFESSIONAL TEACHING ARTISTS
Our faculty consists of experienced teaching artists, performers, educators, and professors who are deeply committed to the growth and development of every student. We believe great arts education begins with great educators.
INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING
No two students learn in exactly the same way. We meet students where they are and provide pathways for personal growth, technical development, artistic exploration, and creative achievement.
COMPREHENSIVE ARTS EDUCATION
Students have opportunities to study a wide variety of disciplines, styles, and experience levels. Whether their interests lie in dance, theatre, music, visual arts, or interdisciplinary creative work, students receive a well-rounded arts education that encourages exploration and discovery.
PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION
Our intimate class sizes allow faculty to truly know their students. Meaningful mentorship, individualized feedback, and supportive relationships are central to our educational philosophy.
STUDENTS ARE MAKERS
At The Complex, students do more than learn choreography, scripts, or songs. They are given opportunities to create original work, collaborate with peers, solve artistic problems, and develop their own creative voices. We believe students should be active participants in the artistic process.
ACCESSIBLE ARTS EDUCATION
We believe quality arts education should be accessible to families. Most productions are fully costumed by The Complex at no additional costume expense. Families pay a clearly communicated performance fee that includes costume rental, performance t-shirt, recorded performance access, and tickets to our annual spring production.
WE CHOOSE EDUCATION OVER COMPETITION
The Complex does not participate in dance competitions.
This is an intentional educational choice. We believe students benefit most from investing their time and energy in training, performance, collaboration, creativity, and authentic artistic experiences. Our goal is not to prepare students for trophies and rankings, but to prepare them for college study, professional opportunities, creative leadership, and a lifelong relationship with the arts.
We do not work toward a trophy.
We work toward each student's personal greatness.
MEANINGFUL PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCES
Students perform regularly through concerts, dance productions, musicals, faculty performances, community events, student-created work, film projects, and interdisciplinary productions. Performance is an important part of learning, and students have many opportunities to share their work with audiences throughout the year.
REAL-WORLD PERFORMANCE VENUES
Students perform on a variety of professional and community stages including The Bradley Playhouse, The Loos Center for the Arts, The STAGE at The Complex, The Center at Eagle Hill, Roseland Park, Rotary Park, downtown Putnam, outdoor festivals, and many other regional venues. These experiences help students develop confidence, adaptability, and professionalism.
VISUAL ARTS EXHIBITIONS
Visual Art students have opportunities to present their work through annual gallery exhibitions, allowing them to experience the complete artistic process from creation to public presentation.
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