The State Education Department announced Wed., Dec. 14, the 2017 New York State Summer School of the Arts program is now accepting applications. Auditions begin in January and will be held statewide. “The Board of Regents encourages students from across the state to apply to this remarkable program. From ballet to theatre to orchestra, the Summer School of the Arts gives students the opportunity to learn from world-class artists and performers and to develop their artistic talents,” Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said in a statement issued by the department. The four-week summer school program was founded in 1970, and it provides more than 400 high school students the opportunity to work and interact with leading artists in the visual and performing arts. The program consists of schools of ballet, choral studies, dance, media arts, orchestral studies, theatre and visual arts, at various locations statewide. Information is available at the State Education Department's website, NYSED [dot] gov.