Summer programs for high school artists and designers
Spend your summer on a real art and design college campus, working in professional studios, learning from working artists, and figuring out if this is your future.
Our teen programs aren’t camps—they’re real college experiences designed for high school students. You’ll use the same studios and equipment our college students use, learn from faculty who work in the industry, and live the creative life for a week or a month. No prior experience required, just curiosity and the desire to create.
What you’ll take home: A portfolio of work you created. New skills you can actually use. Clarity about whether art and design are your path. And new friends who get you.
PreCollege
Four weeks | Residential or commuter | Ages 16–18
This is the real deal—a month of college-level coursework that builds serious art skills and a portfolio you can actually use for college admission.
Perfect if you:
- Are serious about pursuing art and design in college
- Want college-level experience
- Need to build a strong portfolio for college applications
- Are ready to commit to a full summer experience
PreCollege Discovery
One week | Residential only | Ages 15–18
Live on campus in the dorms, eat in the dining hall, and experience what college actually feels like. It’s one week of independence, creativity, and figuring out if Ringling (and art college) is for you.
Perfect if you:
- Want the full college experience without the full month
- Are curious about dorm life and being on your own
- Want to make friends from all over
- Need to know if a residential college experience is right for you
Teen Studios
One week | Day program | Ages 13–18
Your chance to experiment without committing to a full summer. Spend a week diving into one hands-on creative project in world-class studios and labs—then go home each night to your own bed.
Perfect if you:
- Want to test out art and design without a huge time commitment
- Aren’t ready to live on campus yet
- Live locally or can commute to Sarasota
- Want to try something completely new
Program Comparisons
Compare Teen Studios, PreCollege Discovery, and PreCollege at a glance.
| Category |
PreCollege |
PreCollege Discovery |
Teen Studios
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Why this option? | Offering a comprehensive college experience, students complete a robust curriculum of core classes that build foundational skills, plus two selected immersions for deeper investigation into the College’s degree programs. |
Designed for discovery, this program offers a focused college-level experience in a select area of study related to our majors. This residential program includes traditional and digital courses and provides the amenities of campus life. |
This daytime commuter program invites participants to explore creativity, hands-on projects on Ringling College’s main campus. |
| Who is eligible? | High school students age 16–18, rising into 10th through 12th grade. Open to students of all skill levels. 2026 high school graduates welcome to attend. |
High school students age 15–18, rising into 10th through 12th grade. Open to students of all skill levels. 2026 high school graduates welcome to attend. |
High school students age 13–18. Open to students of all skill levels. 2026 high school graduates welcome to attend. |
| How many classes? | 6 classes 4 Morning Core classes 2 Afternoon Immersion classes |
One class | One class |
| How long is the program? | Four weeks | One week | One week |
| What’s the time commitment? | Five days, 27.5 hours of class time per week Plus optional workshops, student activities, presentations, and events. |
Four days, 22 hours of class time per week Plus optional workshops, student activities, presentations, and events. |
Five days, 15 hours of class time per week |
| What’s the campus experience? | Open to both residential and commuter students. Includes four weeks of a full college-life experience, with wellness, recreational, and community service activities throughout the program. |
Open to residential students. Offers a fun, college-like experience in a single week, with wellness, recreational, and community service activities throughout the program. |
Designed with commuter students in mind. Students have access to world-class computer labs and art studios. |
| Extracurriculars & events | Evening and weekend co-curricular experiences (lectures, demos, student-led activities, workshops, volunteer opportunities) plus access to the fitness center, esports arena, and campus library. |
Evening co-curricular experiences (lectures, demos, student-led activities, workshops, volunteer opportunities) plus access to the fitness center, esports arena, and campus library. |
Varies by studio. Day-program format with on-campus studio/lab access. |
PreCollege
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