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7 Summer Art Programs for High School Students in Massachusetts

Writer's picture: Stephen TurbanStephen Turban

If you're a high school student in Massachusetts considering studying art in college, it’s worth exploring an art program during the summer! These programs will allow you to deepen your creative skills, explore potential career paths, and build connections with like-minded peers and professionals. 


Engaging in these opportunities fosters personal growth, discipline, and critical thinking, all while allowing you to experiment with different mediums and techniques. Early exposure to structured artistic environments will also help you develop a portfolio and gain valuable experiences that demonstrate initiative and passion for the arts, enhancing your college applications. Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.


Here are 7 summer art programs for high school students in Massachusetts that you can consider!


Location: Snow Farm, Williamsburg, MA

Cost: $4,350; a limited number of scholarships are available. 

  • Tuition, Room, Meals, Guest Artists & Field Trip: $3975 - $100 (early applicant discount) = $3875

  • Materials Fee: $350

  • Application Fee: $125 (non-refundable)

Application Deadline: 

  • Early application deadline: December 31

  • Standard application deadline: February 28

Program Dates: 

  • Session 1: June 29–July 11

  • Session 2: July 13–July 25

Eligibility: Teens aged 14–18 can apply.


The Snow Farm Summer Craft Program provides students with the opportunity to participate in focused art instruction and work in modern studios. Throughout the program, you will take studio classes in a variety of disciplines, including flameworking, ceramics, painting and drawing, metalsmithing, jewelry, sculpture, and flat glass. Each session includes enrollment in two studios: one class meets from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, and the second from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. After six hours of instruction, you will return to the studios for four additional hours of supervised open studio time, where you can practice your skills, work on projects, and explore new techniques. The first week emphasizes fundamentals and skill-building, while the second week allows you to focus on an area of interest and create a final project.


Snow Farm maintains small classes, with eight students and two instructors in each studio, ensuring personalized instruction and critique in a supportive environment. During the session, each studio class takes a field trip to enhance their learning, which may include visits to an artist's studio, a museum exhibit, or a gallery. Instructors live on campus and participate in daily activities, providing students with ongoing mentorship. Each session accepts up to 40 students. Additional optional activities are available based on student interest, including visits to a swimming hole or ice cream stand, pick-up games of Frisbee or soccer, playing music, or simply relaxing with friends.


Location: In-person at Tufts University, Greater Boston Area, MA, or virtual.

Cost: Variable depending on the course selected: 

  • SMFA Studio Art: $5,000 (Commuter) | $6,750 (Residential) + $200 (materials fee)

  • SMFA Graphic Design Bootcamp: $2,000 (Virtual)

Application Deadline: May 1 

Program Dates: Between July and August.

Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12 or a spring high school graduate may apply. 

Tufts Pre-College and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts offer two summer programs for high school students in Studio Art and Graphic Design, designed to foster creativity and artistic development.


In the Studio Art program, you will join a community of artists to explore both familiar and new mediums. Through an interdisciplinary approach, you’ll work with materials like drawing, painting, sculpture, and animation, while developing conceptually sophisticated artwork. The program includes foundation classes that blur the lines between disciplines, allowing you to build a diverse portfolio. You’ll also participate in group critiques, visit the SMFA art library, and take field trips to museums such as the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. 


The Graphic Design program provides a week-long introduction to the field, focusing on Adobe Creative Cloud tools and the creative process. You will learn from Tufts faculty and professional designers, covering areas like marketing, communications, and photo editing. The program concludes with a final exhibition of your work, giving you practical skills to design posters, social media posts, and more. By the end of the program, you’ll have hands-on experience in digital design and a solid foundation to continue your exploration.


Location: Danforth Art Museum and Art School, Framingham, MA 

Cost: $510; scholarships are available.

Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all slots are filled.

Program Dates: August 5–August 9

Eligibility: Students enrolled in grades 9–12 can apply.


Danforth Art School provides art classes specifically designed for high school students. These three-hour sessions for teens are taught by professional artists and college instructors. The schedule is flexible, offering half-day classes where you will get to refine your skills and express ideas through your artwork. Available classes include Drawing & Painting, Portrait & Figure Studies, Museum Intensive, Advanced Comics, and Fashion Design Intensive.


In the full-day "Fashion Design Intensive" class, you will learn the techniques and tools needed to create and present a cohesive fashion collection. You will engage in brainstorming activities to develop a creative direction using mood boards, explore color theory and textiles, and incorporate fabric swatches and various media. This includes drawing and illustrating fashion figures with gestures, detailing clothing, and fabric draping. By the end of the course, you will have created an original, well-presented fashion collection, while also learning basic sewing and patternmaking to develop a garment pattern for one of their designs. The class covers fashion history and key industry concepts, such as trend forecasting. You will also take an exclusive tour of the Framingham State University Fashion Design studios, providing insight into potential careers.


Location: Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA

Cost: Residential: $4,200 | Commuter: $3,200 + a $40 non-refundable application fee. Scholarships are available.

Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until space remains available. 

Program Dates: July 13 – August 2 

Eligibility: High school students aged 16 and older can apply. 


Montserrat College of Art’s three-week summer residential Pre-College Program offers high school students an intensive introduction to life at an art college. Limited to 75 students nationwide, the program operates on a first-come, first-served basis. During the program, you will receive focused instruction in visual arts, with a strong emphasis on foundation drawing skills, while also exploring new subjects and mediums through elective courses.


Each morning, you will take a Foundation course, choosing between Foundation Drawing or Foundation Digital & Interactive Media. In the afternoons, you will select two elective courses. Upon completing all three courses, you’ll earn three college credits and receive written evaluations from each instructor. Modeled after the college’s BFA program, the Pre-College Program provides small class sizes and personalized attention from faculty. You will work in a creative environment, engage in critical thinking, and develop pieces for your portfolios through a structured yet exploratory approach to art-making.


Location: In-person at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, MA, or online. 

Cost: $960 for half-day classes | $1,920 for full-day classes | $870 per online class.

Application Deadline: On an availability basis from February 16 – June 15

Program Dates: July 8– July 19

Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10–12 can apply. 


MassArt’s Summer Intensives offer high school students an opportunity to expand their artistic skills through two-week studio courses. The program provides a range of on-campus and virtual classes, allowing students to explore various art forms such as animation, architecture, drawing, photography, jewelry, painting, and printmaking. Each course focuses on hands-on learning and introduces students to technical skills while fostering creative expression. For example, the Animation Toolkit explores stop-motion and digital tools, while Drawing Fundamentals covers perspective, proportion, and unconventional techniques.


You can also develop your portfolios through courses like Film Photography, which includes hands-on experience with 35mm cameras and darkroom techniques, and Illustration, which offers virtual instruction in visual communication. The program emphasizes skill-building and experimentation, with access to professional tools and collaborative learning environments. By the end of the program, you will have gained valuable experience across a variety of mediums, preparing you for further exploration in the arts.


Location: In-person at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, or online.

Cost: Unspecified. Check here for updates. 

Application Deadline: Registration for summer classes ends at noon on the Friday before the class is scheduled to start

Program Dates: TBD. 

Eligibility: Students aged 12–17 can register.


The Museum of Fine Arts offers studio art classes for teens ages 12–17, led by professional artists who are also experienced educators. These classes encourage students to explore, experiment, and develop problem-solving skills as they engage with art-making. During the summer, you will meet weekly either in-person or online, and focus on subjects such as drawing, painting, mixed media, and more. 


With access to the museum’s extensive collections, you will have the opportunity to study the techniques and approaches of artists from various cultures and periods. You will get to question, explore, experiment, and solve problems as you create and interact with art. To ensure individualized attention and a meaningful learning experience, class sizes are limited to 12 students, accommodating all skill levels.


Location: Boston University College of Fine Arts, Charles River Campus, Boston, MA

Cost: Residential: $6,030–$6,234 | Commuter: $3,950 + a $75 application fee; Scholarships are available.

Application Deadline: March 15

Program Dates: June 30–July 26

Eligibility: High school students aged 15–18 can apply.


The Boston University School of Visual Arts Summer Institute (VASI) offers a focused visual arts program for high school students, aimed at building portfolios and enhancing technical skills. During the program, you will be introduced to materials and methods used in professional artistic practice and gain experience in a collegiate art school setting.

Along with studio work and classes, you will visit local museums, engage in special workshops, and experience campus life at Boston University. Upon completion, you will earn three college credits and leave with work suitable for inclusion in your portfolios. The program is taught by faculty members and alumni of the School of Visual Arts, who bring a combination of artistic practice and teaching experience to the program.




Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.


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