"Coolest summer school EVER!"
UCLA Arts Summer Programs for High School Students
Imagine being sixteen and thinking about college. Where would you even begin?
What should I major in? College town or urban setting? Conservatory or research university? Where do I belong? And, how do I get started this summer? UCLA’s summer programs offer students a chance to test the waters, experiment in their art form or field of interest, and gain college-level experience.
The UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture offers a range of world-class summer programs that deliver hands-on learning experiences across four of the most progressive departments at the University: Architecture and Urban Design, Art, Design Media Arts, and World Arts and Cultures/Dance. Our summer institutes give students a glimpse into life at one of the premiere public arts universities in the world.
Summer Art Institute students painting in the Broad Art Center.
“One of the great things about the high school students who attend our program,” says UCLA Summer Art Institute Director Bridget Beck, “is that they are discovering who they are, so the expression that they come to during the studio time is the beginning of a lifetime of making art…this can be the very thing that helps a student develop self confidence, ambition, drive, and the creative prowess to do whatever it is that they dream of in the future.”
"I woke up every morning excited to be here. I learned a lot and became a more confident artist." – Summer Art Institute Student
This year, in addition to our core summer institute programs, the School of the Arts and Architecture will launch FORM Academy, a pilot program for a diverse group of students from local public high schools who are interested in exploring the arts through experimentation, tinkering, and making. The FORM Academy’s inaugural six-day tuition-free program will have an interdisciplinary focus and will be led by tenured UCLA faculty members from each of the school’s four departments.
From our research libraries to our state-of-the-art studios and labs; and from world-class museums, galleries, and performing arts centers to the beach; UCLA’s summer institutes take advantage of the rich resources that the University and the city beyond have to offer. Los Angeles attracts pioneers in the arts and sciences who embrace the forward-looking spirit, dynamism, freedom, and possibilities for innovation that characterize the city. Our summer programs draw on this thriving arts community, bringing in top L.A. artists and arts leaders as guest lecturers—including those from our own renowned faculty—and offering field trips to landmark buildings, cultural sites, and internationally acclaimed museums—three of which are located within two miles of campus. This dynamic setting attracts students from all across the world to the UCLA Arts summer institutes.
"Coolest summer school EVER!" - TeenArch Studio Alum
Summer institute students take a trip to the Santa Monica Pier.
Courses taught through the summer institutes adhere to the high standards of UCLA’s top ranked programs—pushing students to hone their talents, display their work, and prepare for college-level coursework. Per Beck, the goal is to provide courses that are “just as rigorous and immersive as classes for our graduate and undergraduate students.”
Summer architecture students at work in Perloff Hall.
Each program pushes students not only to advance technically, but also to ground their work by examining questions of art historical, social, and political context. In the Design Media Arts Summer Institute, for instance, the web design course not only teaches students to build a website, but how the web can be used as a medium for creative expression and artistic intervention, looking at the tradition of art and activism and the aesthetic, narrative, and social potentials of the form. Our Dance/Performing Arts Summer Institute offers a one-of-a-kind course titled Arts and Life that facilitates exploratory discussions about the role of the arts in both a societal context and a personal one.
"The program has influenced my plans for the future. I now want to expand my creativity through technology." – Design Media Arts Summer Institute Alum
A Design Media Arts Summer Institute student at work in the Broad Art Center.
All of our programs culminate in critiques and final presentations of work through portfolios, exhibitions, and/or performances, giving students a chance to apply their skills and gain experience producing professional presentations, and putting together the materials needed to apply to college or find a job.
“I learned so much about architecture. The process was tiring but great.” – Teen ArchStudio Alum
A Design Media Arts Summer Institute student presents her work to her family at the final exhibition.
UCLA Arts’ summer programs offer students the chance to experience life on campus at a major university. Our programs provide students a real college experience, opening their eyes to the possibility of pursuing the arts at a college level, and providing access to courses and programming that is not available at many high schools.
"I was so happy to be surrounded by people who had very similar mentalities about art and life. Since I don't go to an art high school, I never get to spend time with people who are as interested in art as I am, so I was grateful to have met these students." – Summer Art Institute Alum
Summer Art Institute students present their work for final critique.
Jackie Lopez, Director of the Dance/Performing Arts Summer Institute calls the program “an opportunity to display the options available to students of all different backgrounds—including those students from public high schools and urban settings—who want to be artists but may not even know such a thing exists at the college level.” After living in campus housing, taking courses, and interacting with other students and faculty, students can picture themselves pursuing the arts in a university setting, and feel more prepared and confident when they go to college as undergraduates.
Students in the Dance/Performing Arts Summer Institute take a class in West African dance. Image credit: Brianna Grey
"This program made me see that dance is a genuine way out for people. It changed how I see dance. I used to be very competitive but dancing isn't about that; it's about the love, peace, and unity that you have with community, with dance, and with yourself."
– Dance/Performing Arts Summer Institute Alum
To learn more about UCLA Arts’ Summer Institutes for High School Students:
Summer Art Institute
Dance/Performing Arts Summer Institute
Design Media Arts Summer Institute
FORM Academy Information | FORM Academy Application
Teen ArchStudio
Scholarships are available for qualified students.
UCLA Arts also offers summer programs and courses for undergraduate students and professionals:
JumpStart Summer Institute: Introduction to Architecture
Hothouse (World Arts and Cultures/Dance)
Department of Art Summer Sessions
Department of Design Media Arts Summer Sessions
World Arts and Cultures/Dance Summer Sessions
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