There is nothing sweeter than a dream transforming into reality and Dr. Artesius Miller can testify to this. With a B.A. in Economics from Morehouse College, an M.A. in Education Leadership from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Policy from the University of Georgia, Dr. Miller recognized the need to pursue the desire for creative learning, so he proposed and executed a solution. After relocating to Atlanta, he opted to abandon his professional career in financial services and embrace his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for education by petitioning Clayton County Schools to open a charter school that offered a rigorous academic and fine arts curriculum. With the intent to stray from conventional learning to emphasize creativity, Dr. Miller founded the Utopian Academy for the Arts in 2014, a charter school that “offers an innovative and creative solution to students across all grades with an emphasis on the creative media and performing arts.”
Ten years following its creation, the Utopian Academy expands with the establishment of its third location in the Town of Trilith. Located where the former Georgia Military College was and less than a mile from Trilith Studios, “Utopian at Trilith was birthed from the idea to create an educational and economic intersection that would create a pipeline for students to be introduced to careers in a growing $6.7+ billion entertainment industry.” This notion empowers students to excel not only in their present studies but also to set them up for success in their future careers and endeavors.
As a charter school, the curriculum aligns with the Georgia standards, but this acts only as a baseline for Utopian. The school’s core curriculum is supplemented with creative pathways allowing students to exercise and implement their creativity in a manner often considered suppressed by conventional schooling. While public schools are substantially effective in allowing children to excel in their studies, Utopian considers the children who struggle with traditional test-taking scenarios. The Utopian Academy enables its learners to embrace their creative abilities.
Dr. Miller’s dream expands beyond simply creatively educating students in the arts. The teachers and staff at the Utopian Academy mean to develop the student’s potential educationally, professionally, and personally. This can be seen in the motto emblazoned on the academy’s emblem. It features a banner along the bottom reading, “abeunt studia in mores,” a Latin phrase that translates to “studies pass on into character.” By including this phrase in their emblem, Utopian seeks to constantly remind and reinforce to students that studies passionately pursued become habits that pass on into one’s character, shaping them into the person they wish to become. Through the focus on the importance and influence of studying creatively, Utopian Academy allows students to be influential amongst their peers and within their field, expanding from digital media and beyond.
Utopian Academy’s partnership with the movie industry is aimed at the goal of aligning with the state of Georgia’s focus on creating a workforce of talent here in our own backyard. More specifically, the students gain access and exposure to not only the film and television industry but also are offered the opportunity to network with those who are a part of the largest studios in the country. Established connections in the entertainment industry, such as Trilith Studios, the Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation, Alliance Theatre, Ludacris Foundation, and Kennesaw State University, allow students to receive visits from professionals. These may include on-camera talent, directors, or any roles above and below the line, to expose and educate the students in the ways of the digital arts. These partnerships will also lend access to sound stages and equipment, when available, to be used for their school projects, allowing them to further develop as students and creatives alike.
While the Trilith campus currently includes grades sixth through eighth, they plan to expand to high school in the future. For those who graduate from the Trilith campus, a team is in place to collaborate with every student and parent and provide individual guidance in the selection process to further their education. Seats are still available for sixth and seventh grade. To apply, you can either go to the website, www.utopiantrilith.com, or email enrollment.trilith@utopianacademy.com to inquire about the enrollment process.
"Utopian offers an innovative and creative solution to students across all grades with an emphasis on the creative media and performing arts."
Utopian at Trilith was birthed from the idea to create an educational and economical intersection that would create a pipeline for students to be introduced to careers in a growing $6.7+ billion entertainment industry.