Performing arts school to open in P.E.I.

Prince Edward Island will soon be the home of Atlantic Canada's new school of performing arts.

The Confederation Centre of the Arts and Holland College announced Friday that they will join forces to form the Holland College School of Performing Arts.

Starting next September, the new school will offer aspiring performers a two-year diploma program in contemporary music performance and a one-year performing arts foundation certificate program.

In September of 2012, a two-year diploma in dance performance will be added to the curriculum.

The Confederation Centre of the Arts is an award-winning national arts centre andhome of one of the country's oldest musical theatre festivals, The Charlottetown Festival. It's also home to Canada's longest running musical, Anne of Green Gables.

Holland College is an innovative and internationally recognized post-secondary educational institute.

"The establishment of a School of Performing Arts, in partnership with the Confederation Centre of the Arts, adds a new and exciting dimension to programs offered at Holland College," Michael O'Grady, vice-president of innovation, enterprise and strategic development at Holland College, said in a release.

"In combining the significant strengths and national reputations of two well-established institutions, we are seeking to create an entity with both credibility and profile within the field of post-secondary arts education. We are very excited about this initiative and the opportunities it offers for future Holland College students and the arts and culture sector."