New World School of the Arts was created by the Florida State Legislature in 1984 as a Center of Excellence in the visual and performing arts. A unique collaborative venture of the University of Florida, Miami Dade College, and the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the school provides a continuous comprehensive program of artistic training, academic development, and preparation for careers in dance, music, theater, and visual arts.

A Florida center of excellence in the visual and performing arts, NWSA provides a comprehensive program of artistic, creative, and academic development through a curriculum that reflects the rich multicultural state of Florida. With programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art, Dance, Music, and Theater, NWSA offers four-year BFA and BM college degrees, as well as the high school diploma.