Are you a teen artist who is ready to take the next steps in honing your skills or expanding your practice? Join Teen Academy this summer by selecting the classes that best suit your plans and interests! Once you customize your course schedule, you will be ready to learn alongside talented peers and learn from the best instructors in the region.
Teen Academy is a six-week, summertime program for teens 13 to 18 years old. Each week has a unique theme, and within each week, there is a morning course and an afternoon course to select from. Courses are new every week and students can choose to participate in one week, all six, or any number in between!
Teen Academy encourages students to strengthen their portfolio, prepare for college, or simply express their creative voice in an inclusive environment each summer! By sharing their art with a vibrant community of young artists, designers, writers, and instructors, students will forge connections that will impact their future. Teens are welcome to explore their interests all while using our state-of-the-art facilities. There is something for everyone as we offer instruction in painting, drawing, filmmaking, photography, creative writing, and much, much more!
WEEK 1 | Characters: Drawing from Life and Imagination……..June 1-5
Morning Course: Figure Drawing
This class introduces students to the art of drawing the human figure while exploring proportion, gesture, and expressive mark-making. Through observation and quick studies, students will learn how to capture motion, mood, and anatomy while building a strong foundation for both realistic and imaginative drawing.
Afternoon Course: Character Animation
In this dynamic course, students will bring their ideas to life through frame-by-frame animation. Using traditional and digital tools, they will design original characters, explore movement and timing, and create short animated sequences to add to their portfolios.
WEEK 2 | Atmosphere: Space, Mood, and Environment…………June 8-12
Morning Course: Found Material Installations
This hands-on course transforms everyday objects into meaningful, three-dimensional artworks. Students will explore how material, texture, and scale can change the way we experience space, creating installations that tell a story or evoke a mood.
Afternoon Course: Experimental Filmmaking
Students will discover how filmmaking can move beyond narrative and into visual expression. By experimenting with light, sound, and rhythm, they will create short films that use abstraction and atmosphere to communicate emotion.
WEEK 3 | Image: Text, Textile, and Photography…………………..June 15-18 (Off on Juneteenth)
Morning Course: Textile Abstraction
In this course, students will use fabric, thread, and texture as tools for image-making. By layering materials and playing with color and composition, they will create abstract textile pieces that combine weaving, dyeing, and hands-on fiber techniques.
Afternoon Course: Writing and Digital Photography
This interdisciplinary course invites students to combine words and images to tell personal and poetic stories. Through creative writing prompts and photo-based projects, they will learn how text and image can work together to create mood, narrative, and perspective.
2-WEEK BREAK
WEEK 4 | Style: Expression and Identity………………………………July 6-10
Morning Course: Contemporary Painting Practices
Students will push the boundaries of painting by experimenting with color, layering, and texture. Working with acrylic paint and unconventional tools, they will explore how gesture and surface can express mood, identity, and personal style.
Afternoon Course: Fashion Design
In this exciting course, students will turn ideas into wearable works of art. Through sketching, fabric exploration, and basic construction techniques, they will design one-of-a-kind garments that express individuality and creativity.
WEEK 5 | Representation: Image and Form…………………………July 13-17
Morning Course: 3D Design and Mixed-Media Sculpture
Students will explore the world of sculpture by combining found and constructed materials to build imaginative forms. They will learn the fundamentals of balance, proportion, and structure while creating unique 3D artworks that blend concept and craft.
Afternoon Course: Traditional Illustration
This course focuses on how illustration can bring stories to life. Students will develop characters, settings, and compositions while learning drawing techniques that communicate personality, narrative, and emotion.
WEEK 6 | Story: Print and Narrative Arts……………………………..July 20-24
Morning Course: Block Printing
Students will learn the hands-on processes of multi-color relief printing to create their own editions of prints. By carving, inking, and pressing, they will explore how repetition and texture can turn simple designs into powerful, expressive works of art.
Afternoon Course: Storybook Writing and Development
This course guides students through the process of writing, illustrating, and designing their own storybook. From world-building and character development to final layout, students will leave with a finished piece that showcases both their imagination and storytelling skills.
Each course has five sessions occurring Monday-Friday for one week. Morning courses are Monday-Friday, 9-11:30 AM. Afternoon courses are Monday-Friday, 12:30-3 PM. Although it is not necessary, it is recommended that students take both the morning and afternoon courses as they complement one another in curriculum.
Week 3 is $148 per course due to the week being shortened by a day in observation of Juneteenth.
Read our protocols here: Welcome Packet. By signing up for our programs, you and your minor student(s) are agreeing to abide by the rules and policies in the handbook.
Questions? Contact the Office of Engagement at engagement@artacademy.edu.
Interested in applying for a scholarship? Read more and apply here.
