15 Art Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Aug 22
- 10 min read
If you’re a middle schooler with a passion for painting, design, animation, or visual storytelling, art programs can offer an accessible way to explore your interests while building technical skills. These programs go beyond traditional school electives, providing structured mentorship, access to industry tools, and opportunities to create original work. Whether you're looking to develop a portfolio, collaborate with peers, or gain feedback from professional artists, participating in a formal program can give you a head start.
Best of all, many art programs for middle school students are fully funded or offer significant financial aid, making them more accessible than you might expect. These programs are designed to spark creativity while exposing students to potential academic and career paths in the arts. We’ve examined several offerings and narrowed down this list based on selectivity, mentorship quality, program rigor, and prestige.
15 Art Programs for Middle School Students
Location: Virtual
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; small cohorts per track
Program Dates: 8 weeks; Spring Cohort tentatively begins February 18
Application Deadline: February 9 (multiple cohorts throughout the year)
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6–8
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program offers a rigorous, mentor-led experience for middle school students interested in exploring advanced academic topics, including art and design. You’ll be guided by mentors from top universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Stanford as you engage in a three-phase curriculum. In the Exploration phase, you’ll investigate four subject areas within your track. The Specialization phase allows you to focus deeply on a topic of your choice, and in the final Project Creation phase, you’ll build an independent project that demonstrates your learning. This is a highly personalized and intellectually engaging program, especially suited for students who want to explore creative fields through structured mentorship and project-based learning.
Location: Pratt Institute, New York, NY
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Cost: $320 (limited scholarships may be available)
Program Dates: July 7–18
Application Deadline: Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–8
The Pratt Institute Summer Scholars program is designed to help middle school students strengthen their foundational art skills and begin building a competitive portfolio. You’ll engage in intensive studio sessions focusing on observational drawing, using materials such as pencil, charcoal, and oil pastel to render three-dimensional forms and capture lighting effects. Instruction emphasizes both technical precision and creative growth, with one-on-one mentorship from experienced teaching artists. You’ll participate in Middle School Portfolio Development and take part in field visits to museums and galleries, giving you exposure to professional artwork and contemporary practices in visual art.
Location: School-based
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Varies by school partnership
Cost: Custom pricing; teacher training included with curriculum kit
Dates: School-year integrated
Application Deadline: Rolling, based on school enrollment
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6–8 (ages 12–14)
The Art1st Visual Experience Program is a multi-year visual arts curriculum designed specifically for middle school art programs, emphasizing creativity, critical thinking, and cultural context. The curriculum introduces students to folk art, popular art, and exhibition practices through hands-on projects and guided explorations. With a focus on community, nature, history, and fantasy, you will be encouraged to build personal connections to art while sharpening your observation and interpretation skills. The program includes the Art1st Visual Experience Book Kit and offers schools the option to participate in a comprehensive mentorship model, featuring centralized teacher training, peer learning sessions, and annual exhibitions.
Location: Chicago Academy for the Arts, Chicago, IL
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Cost: $995
Program Dates: June 16–27
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–9
The Chicago Academy for the Arts Summer Program offers a multidisciplinary experience for middle schoolers interested in visual and performing arts. You’ll choose from intensive tracks such as Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theater, and Visual Arts, each taught by industry professionals and Academy faculty. Courses emphasize both technical mastery and creative exploration, whether you're composing original music in a professional recording studio, experimenting with printmaking and sculpture, or capturing narratives through animation and photography. The program fosters personal expression while exposing you to professional-level tools and spaces, including studios used by artists from the Joffrey Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance.
Location: Friends Select School, Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: School-based enrollment
Cost: Included in tuition (private school program; contact for school-specific costs)
Dates: Academic year (August–June)
Application Deadline: Rolling (based on school admission)
Eligibility: Students enrolled in grades 6–8
The Visual Art and Design Program at Friends Select School is a yearlong, school-integrated curriculum designed to foster creative risk-taking and technical growth in art programs for middle school students. You will explore 2D and 3D projects using various techniques, including drawing, watercolor, clay, printmaking, and mixed media. Emphasis is placed on personal expression, safe material handling, and connecting visual storytelling to social themes, such as equality and community. You will participate in group critiques and conceptual projects inspired by Quaker principles. The curriculum includes dedicated time for visual arts in all three middle school grades, building from foundational techniques in sixth grade to more conceptual and interdisciplinary projects in seventh and eighth grade.
Location: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, Queens, NY
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective, NYC DOE students only
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 8 – August 2
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Students entering grades 8–12 who are currently enrolled in a NYC Department of Education public school and will remain enrolled for the upcoming school year. Please note that to participate in the Summer Arts Institute, students must be enrolled in a NYC DOE Public school in the fall
The Summer Arts Institute at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts is a tuition-free, four-week intensive for NYC public school students looking to sharpen their skills in dance, theater, vocal or instrumental music, film, or visual arts. You’ll work under the mentorship of Department of Education arts specialists and professional artists from organizations like the American Ballet Theatre and Carnegie Hall. The program emphasizes portfolio and audition preparation, artistic exploration, and collaborative projects. In addition to studio and rehearsal work, you’ll attend professional performances and explore New York City’s cultural venues. The program culminates in an exhibition and performance showcasing original student work.
Location: The Harker School, San Jose, CA
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: School-based enrollment
Cost: Included in tuition (private school program; contact for school-specific costs)
Dates: Academic year (August–June)
Application Deadline: Rolling (based on school admission)
Eligibility: Students enrolled in grades 6–8 at The Harker School
The Middle School Visual Arts Program at The Harker School provides a rich, multi-year experience in art programs for middle school students, blending academic electives with vibrant after-school offerings. You can choose from courses like Ceramics, Sculpture, and Art I & II while participating in activities such as photography, yearbook design, and video journalism. The program is supported by the Dickinson Visual Arts Endowment, which funds an annual artist-in-residence program. This initiative provides you with direct access to recognized artists, including Leah Rosenberg and Pantea Karimi, offering workshops, critiques, and exposure to contemporary art practices..
Location: Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando, FL
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open-enrollment; space-limited by session
Cost: Varies by program and session length; financial aid not publicly listed
Program Dates: Weekly sessions offered June–August (5-day camps)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6–8
The Orlando Museum of Art’s Summer Art Camp offers themed weeklong sessions that allow you to explore visual storytelling through painting, sculpture, mixed media, and more. You can choose from both morning and afternoon sessions, such as Food for Thought, where you'll sculpt and paint food-themed artworks, or Passion for Paint, where you’ll experiment with watercolor, acrylic, and other media. Additional options, such as Steampunk! and Mixed Media Madness, invite you to work with recycled objects, textiles, and unconventional tools to create unique, layered projects. Each camp blends studio instruction with gallery visits, encouraging creativity through exposure to both classic and contemporary art. Whether you're drawn to realistic painting or abstract assemblage, this camp gives you a hands-on introduction to diverse materials and techniques.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrollment
Cost: $25/month or $250/year
Program Dates: Year-round, self-paced
Application Deadline: None – enroll anytime
Eligibility: Middle school students (grades 6–8) and beyond, ages 6–18
Sparketh offers a vast library of over 1,000 bite-sized video lessons taught by professional artists, designed to spark creativity across a range of subjects from manga and portraiture to mixed media and watercolor. Middle school students can build foundational skills in drawing, painting, design, and art techniques through step-by-step instruction and guided projects in areas like “Fluid Painting,” and “3D Illusions”. Lessons are organized into “tracks” for thematic learning, and you can showcase your work in an online gallery. With unlimited access and flexible pacing, Sparketh offers an accessible and engaging way to enhance creative abilities.
Location: Baltimore, MD
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open to eligible Baltimore City students; limited seats
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 30 – July 31
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Baltimore City Public Schools students currently in PreK–8 and enrolled at a Title I school
The Maryland Summer Arts for Learning Academy is a free, full-day summer program that lets you focus on two visual or performing art forms of your choice over five weeks. Designed for Title I students in Baltimore City, the program encourages you to grow artistically through daily hands-on practice and mentorship from professional teaching artists. You'll attend workshops, collaborate with peers, and refine your creative voice in a supportive learning environment. Weekly squad meetings allow you to reflect on your progress, share your projects, and receive feedback from your mentors and classmates. With an emphasis on access, skill-building, and community, this program offers a great way to engage deeply with the arts during the summer.
Location: School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; space is limited
Cost: $1,160 (financial aid available)
Program Dates: July 21 – August 1
Application Deadline: July 14
Eligibility: Students ages 10–13 with prior drawing experience (typically grades 6–8)
This advanced summer camp is designed for middle school students with prior drawing experience who want to deepen their technical and expressive skills. You’ll explore media such as pencil, ink, pastel, charcoal, and mixed media through daily studio work. The curriculum emphasizes using drawing as a tool for reflection and visual storytelling. A key highlight is the visit to the Art Institute of Chicago, where you'll sketch and gain inspiration from a world-class art collection. The camp fosters creativity through experimentation, while also helping you refine your personal style in a professional studio setting.
Location: Interlochen, MI
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; over 3,000 students attend annually
Cost: Ranges from $1,830 to $10,180 depending on program length (financial aid available)
Program Dates: Varies from 1-week to 6-week camps
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 3–12
Interlochen Arts Camp offers an immersive summer experience in the arts, with over 3,000 students worldwide participating in programs across seven disciplines: creative writing, dance, film and new media, interdisciplinary arts, music, theater, and visual arts. As a middle schooler, you can develop your talents through a rigorous curriculum tailored to your age and skill level. You’ll benefit from small class sizes and a 1:2 faculty-to-student ratio, ensuring personalized feedback and mentorship. The camp also includes showcases, exhibitions, and visits from professionals, giving you exposure to the broader creative community. With a vast alumni network, Interlochen connects you to lifelong artistic support and inspiration.
Location: Iowa City, IA
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; varies by discipline
Cost: $325 registration fees + tuition fees if accepted
Program Dates: Varies by discipline and week
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students in grades 7–12
The Iowa Conservatory’s (ICON) Summer Intensive allows you to focus on visual arts, dance, or musical theater in a concentrated one- or two-week format. Each track is led by experienced artists and educators, such as Kyle Powell in visual arts or Leslie Nolte in classical dance, ensuring you gain both technical training and artistic mentorship. You’ll work on any one of the studio-based projects, ranging from illustration and painting to full musical theater performances. Each track emphasizes creative growth and personal expression, preparing you for more advanced artistic training.
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Small cohort; limited capacity
Cost: Film Camp registration is $329 (increasing to $359 after July 1, 2025); Pop Camp registration is closed; a sibling discount of $289 applies for each additional student; and a special Pop + Film Camp discount of $579 is available for both camps if you’ve already registered for Pop Camp (no new Pop Camp registrations as of 6/24).
Program Dates: APA's Pop Music Camp JUL 7-18th; APA's Film Camp JUL 21-AUG 1
Application Deadline: July 1
Eligibility: Rising 7th–11th graders
Hosted by the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts, this two-week summer camp introduces you to the fundamentals of pop music performance and production. You’ll receive instruction from professional musicians in voice, guitar, bass, drums, keys, songwriting, and ear-training. Sessions run weekday afternoons and are structured to support both group collaboration and individual growth. You’ll rehearse both solo and ensemble pieces throughout the program, culminating in a final live showcase performance on July 18. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this program provides a solid foundation in contemporary music and performance.
Location: Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, MA
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly listed; moderately selective
Cost: $820 per class
Program Dates: July 28 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 31- June 22
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–9
Hosted by Massachusetts College of Art and Design, this summer program offers a structured yet exploratory experience for middle school students interested in deepening their artistic practice. You’ll select from a wide range of morning and afternoon studio classes that include Creature Design, Fashion Design, Comic Book Art, and Stop Motion Animation. Each studio emphasizes both technical skill-building and creative freedom, encouraging you to experiment across different media. Courses like Drawing Fundamentals provide a foundation in perspective and observational techniques, while options such as Artist Books and Studio Explorations push your creative thinking through non-traditional methods.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. 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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