The Hollywood Reporter names UNCSA costume concentration in the School of Design & Production among Top 10 for eighth year

The article highlights that at UNCSA, “There’s no waiting around — it’s hands on from the start, and you learn by doing,” and costume students are able to work on dozens of productions with the schools of Music, Filmmaking and Drama. It also cites the advantage of UNCSA’s location: “Winston-Salem has an active arts community and an easygoing vibe that gives students time to focus. The lower cost of living helps as well. And with Atlanta and New York nearby, students stay connected to the industry without the chaos of living in a big city.”

Renowned D&P alumnus and Academy Award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell (“Wicked”), Tricia Barsamian (“Sirens”), Kristen Mendez (“The Gilded Age”) and Andja Budincich (“You”) are highlighted as notable alumni.

The costume design & technology program is one of several undergraduate concentrations in the School of Design & Production — the nation’s only standalone conservatory of its kind, not housed within a theater program — including a separate Wig & Makeup Design concentration. There are also graduate concentrations in Costume Design and Costume Technology, among nine other concentrations.

Michael J. Kelley, dean of the School of Design & Production and alumnus of the scene design program, said, “We are honored to maintain our standing among the world’s premier costume programs for the eighth year running. This recognition speaks to our immersive training model, our exceptional faculty, and our alumni who continue to transform costume design and technology across film, TV, theater, and global entertainment.”

Bill Brewer, director of costume design, said, “At UNCSA, our graduates are prepared to build resilient, sustainable careers in an industry that is both evolving and expanding globally. We give students timeless foundational skills and also embrace new tools — from AI to virtual production — so they can thrive in a changing industry. Technology expands imagination, but it’s the human mind and heart that shape great design.”   

To create its annual list, The Hollywood Reporter consulted with costume designers and academic professionals, looking at “the factors that make a design school special including alumni success, class size, extracurricular programs and opportunities for networking.”

As the nation’s only standalone conservatory dedicated to design and production, the School of Design & Production (D&P) at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts offers an immersive, collaborative environment where students gain hands-on experience from day one. Through realized productions and cross-disciplinary collaboration across the university’s five arts conservatories on one campus, D&P students learn to create — and to lead — in every corner of the entertainment industry.

Faculty who are active industry professionals provide cutting-edge training that prepares graduates to thrive in theater, film, television, opera, dance, themed entertainment, concert production, and more. Concentrations include animatronics, costume design, costume technology, lighting, production and project management, scene design, scene painting, scenic art, scenic technology, sound design, stage automation, stage management, stage properties, technical direction, and wig and makeup design. 

Employers from Broadway to Hollywood to Disney and the world’s largest scenic and sound providers actively recruit UNCSA students. At the School of Design & Production, students join a community driven by collaboration, imagination and technology — preparing to power the $2.3 trillion global entertainment industry.

Alumni of D&P have won or been nominated for top honors including the Oscar, Emmy, Tony, Critics’ Choice, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, and Helen Hayes awards. Notable alumni include Oscar, Tony and Emmy Award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell, TV and film executive producer Tanase Popa, photographer David LaChapelle, actress Hunter Schafer, wig and makeup artist Destinee Steele, SpaceX environmental health and safety engineer Randy Rees and many others.