IRMO – Nominations are now being accepted for the 2026 Tri-District Arts Consortium (Tri-DAC) Summer Program. Middle school students attending public schools in Lexington One, Lexington-Richland Five, and Richland Two are eligible to participate. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Tri-DAC, which has provided students with an exceptional and immersive experience in the arts since its founding.
The program is designed for artistically gifted and talented students who will be rising sixth through ninth graders during the summer before the 2026–2027 school year. Students may audition in creative writing, dance, music (band, strings, and vocal), theatre, or visual art.
The 2026 Summer Program will be hosted by the Palmetto Center for the Arts on the campus of Richland Northeast High School in Richland School District Two. Classes will be held Monday through Friday, June 8–26, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. each day. The cost for the three-week session is $475.
Nominations may be submitted by arts teachers, language arts teachers, administrators, or parents. Nomination forms for all art areas—as well as general information about Tri-DAC—are available through each participating school district and online at www.tridac.org.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, December 5, 2025. Once nominated, students will receive application materials.
Auditions for Strings, Visual Art, and Vocal students will take place Saturday, February 28, 2026, at Richland Northeast High School. Band, Creative Writing, Dance, Theatre, and additional Visual Art auditions will be held Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the same location. Please note there will be no make-up auditions.
For more information or questions about the program, contact Tri-DAC Director Donna Wilson at [email protected].
Students in Lexington-Richland School District Five can contact Shirley Cope at 803-476-8129 or [email protected] for nomination assistance.
