J J Cahill Memorial High School

Honour - Excellence - Responsibility - Opportunity

Telephone02 9669 5118

Emailjjcahill-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Visual Arts

Visual Arts empowers students to engage in visual forms of communication and provides opportunities to develop their creativity and problem solving skills. Students learn about the world around them through the study and practice of art. In this subject, students gain an understanding of the role of art in all forms of media in contemporary and historical cultures.

In Visual Arts, students have the opportunity to create artworks in a range of forms such as drawing, painting, sculpture, graphics, photography, printmaking and ceramics. Their experiences in artmaking are informed by the practices of other artists’ work and underpinned by the study of art history and criticism.

Visual Arts is a mandatory subject in Years 7 and 8. In Years 9 and 10 it can be undertaken as a 100 or 200hr elective. In Years 11 and 12 Visual Arts can be undertaken as an HSC course. The elective Visual Arts courses allow students to expand their skills and confidence in artmaking and deepen their knowledge of art history and criticism as they engage in increasingly complex investigations of art. Year 12 students are responsible for the creation of a Body of Work which forms 50% of their HSC assessment.


Visual Arts is an ideal subject for students with an interest in visual forms of communication who enjoy observing, expressing and commenting on the world around them.

Explore Visual Arts 7-10 Syllabus

Explore Visual Arts Stage 6 Syllabus


Do you enjoy or are you good at ART?

Explore Art Careers (PDF 115KB)