History
Harrison School for the Arts opened in 1989, after much debate in whether or not to open Polk County's first and only arts school. The school started off with only 154 students, and 5 departments: Chorus, Orchestra, Dance, Musical Theater,and Art. Students in Chorus and Orchestra had to be bused everyday to nearby Florida Southern College to receive their classes. Through years of expansion, the current departments were added, now resulting in 11 total departments. Where at one time, HAC was a name, it now has its own campus. Before the major renovations of 2008, Harrison shared with Lakeland Senior High School the only chorus room and orchestra room available. The only building Harrison could call its own was the current 649 seat theater. After 2008, Harrison was able to expand into two multi-million dollar buildings. The new Harrison Arts Center is now home to a brand new 130-seat movie theater, a blackbox theater, recording studios, three art labs, three dance studios, a Musical Theatre/Vocal room, chorus room, orchestra room, jazz band room and other technologically advanced classrooms. Lakeland's fine arts sector now has their own building as well. Tom McDonald was the founding principal.
Read more about this topic: Lois Cowles Harrison Center For The Visual And Performing Arts
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