BackgroundApplied studio teaching in higher education is often marked by professional isolation (Burwell, et al., 2019; Goffi-Fynn, 2024; Parkes & Daniel, 2025). Voice teachers typically work one-to-one behind closed doors, with few structured opportunities for collaboration or shared professional learning. Yet within one BFA Musical Theater program, a team of applied voice faculty has developed a sustained and multi-layered learning community that integrates both formal and informal collaborative practices to support teaching, student outcomes, and program development.Aim of StudyThis qualitative case study examines how applied voice faculty cultivate and sustain a collaborative culture that counters the isolation typical of applied instruction. Drawing on Wenger’s Communities of Practice framework (Wenger, 1998; Lave & Wenger, 1991) and research on peer mentorship (Keiler et al. 2020; Shanks, 2023; Vembye, 2024), the study investigates how faculty engage in formal structures—such as departmental evaluations used as opportunities for co-assessment—and informal peer practices including shared problem-solving, spontaneous lesson visits, and ongoing collegial dialogue.Method of Data CollectionData sources include document analysis of faculty evaluation reports, focus group interviews with applied faculty, and individual interviews with first-year applied voice teachers. Using thematic analysis (Saldaña, 2016), the study explores how these formal and informal practices function as an interdependent system of professional learning, shaping pedagogical approaches and influencing both faculty identity and departmental culture.Results and ConclusionsData collection is ongoing, with completion anticipated by May 2026. Findings are expected to contribute to broader conversations about professional learning in higher education music programs by illustrating how applied faculty can intentionally build communities of practice that foster mentorship, reflection, and shared pedagogical growth. The study offers implications for institutions seeking to move beyond isolated models of studio teaching toward collaborative, community-oriented approaches to faculty development and student-centered learning.