15 Summer Art Programs for Middle School Students in NYC

Summer is a good time to explore art and try new things. If you’re a middle school student based in New York City, there are many programs that you can explore! These programs give you a chance to work with real materials and tools. You might use pencils, paint, cameras, computers, or even perform on a stage - all super useful skills if you’re considering a trajectory in art when in high school or college.

These programs can help you create art pieces or work on shows that you can feature in your profiles. They can also teach you new skills and offer advice on how to improve. Many of the programs are free or cost only a small amount of money. Since the programs below are hosted during summer break, they will not get in the way of your school year! 

To get started, here is a list of 15 summer art programs in New York City for middle school students!

15 Summer Art Programs for Middle School Students in NYC

1. Lumiere Junior Explorer Program

The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is an 8-week program for middle school students where you work one-on-one with a mentor from a top research university like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, or LSE. You choose a subject you’re interested in and build a project around it with your mentor’s help.

In weeks 1 to 4, you learn about four different topics in your chosen subject. In weeks 5 and 6, you pick one topic to focus on and study it in depth. In weeks 7 and 8, you build your final project. Your mentor helps you throughout the process, from understanding the topic to finishing the project. You can find the application in the brochure! 

Location: Virtual

Cost: $2,400. Need-based financial aid is available.

Application Deadline: February 9 (early admission), March 9 (priority admission), April 13 (regular admission I), May 11 (regular admission II), or June 23 (Summer Cohort II)

Program Dates: 8 weeks starting June 2 (Summer Cohort I) or July 14 (Summer Cohort II)

Eligibility: Middle school students

2. The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Summer Programs for Teens

Middle school students can dive into art through The Met’s Summer Programs for Teens, designed for ages 11–18. Participants explore the museum’s vast collection, engage in hands-on art-making workshops, and develop their creative skills through activities like sketching and gallery tours. Led by experienced artist-instructors, the program offers opportunities to build portfolios and connect with art professionals. Students also receive free museum admission with a Teen Pass and a valid school ID.

Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Cost: Varies. Check more details here.

Application Deadline: Varies; check The Met’s website for specific dates.

Program Dates: Typically July–August

Eligibility: Students aged 11–18 (grades 6–12)

3. Art Adventures: Summer Camp

The Met offers a week-long summer camp for children aged 5 to 12. You explore painting with watercolors and acrylics, build sculptures using clay and wire, and create mixed media pieces with paper, fabric, and found objects. Teaching artists guide you in basic drawing techniques, color mixing, shading, and how to use different textures and materials. 

You also take part in gallery tours to learn about famous artworks and artists. Music and movement sessions are included to support creativity. All art supplies are provided.

Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY

Cost: $750

Application Deadline: April 11

Program Dates: July 14 – 18 or July 21 – 25

Eligibility: Individuals aged 9 – 12

4. Pratt Summer Scholars: Middle School Portfolio Development

Pratt Summer Scholars offers a two-week summer program where you take part in studio art and design sessions. The Middle School Portfolio Development track is for students who are preparing to apply to portfolio-based high schools. You focus on drawing from observation using still life objects or live models. 

You work with materials like pencil, oil pastel, charcoal, and ink. Your portfolio will include drawings that show 3D forms, depth, and how objects appear under natural or artificial light. You practice skills like proportion, shading, line quality, and spatial composition.

Location: New York

Cost: $320

Application Deadline: On a rolling basis from April 22

Program Dates: July 7 – 18

Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th graders who demonstrate an interest in art and design

5. NYU’s College and Career Lab

NYU’s College and Career Lab lets middle school students explore different academic and career paths. In the arts track, you attend college-style lectures and hands-on workshops led by NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. You try out areas like film, drama, dance, and photography. 

You learn skills such as visual storytelling, editing, acting basics, choreography, and using cameras and other media tools. The Exploratory Stage is a 4-week summer program for rising 8th and 9th graders. If you continue into high school, the Immersive Stage includes college-level courses, internships, and career-focused projects in the fields you choose.

Location: New York

Cost: Free

Application Deadline: March 31

Program Dates: July 7 – August 1

Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in the 7th or 8th grade at a New York City public, charter, or home school

6. Summer Arts Institute

The Summer Arts Institute is a free 4-week program for New York City public school students entering grades 8 to 12. You choose a major in dance, theater, concert band, strings, vocal music, film, or visual arts. You take part in daily studio classes and develop technical skills such as choreography, acting, music performance, film editing, or drawing and painting. 

You also meet guest artists from groups like American Ballet Theatre, Carnegie Hall, Ghetto Film School, Magic Box Productions, New York Philharmonic, and others. You rehearse, go on field trips to museums and performance spaces, and attend professional shows. 

You share your work at a final performance or exhibition, and you also perform or present in informal settings like the SAI Café. By the end of the program, you will have built a portfolio or developed audition skills based on your chosen discipline.

Location: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens

Cost: Free

Application Deadline: March 2

Program Dates: July 7 – August 1

Eligibility: Students entering grades 8 – 12 in a New York City Department of Education public school

7. Parsons Summer Academy: Animation Studio

Parsons Summer Academy offers non-credit art and design courses for middle school students. In the Animation Studio course, you learn how to design and animate original characters. You practice skills like character development, storyboarding, and applying key principles of traditional animation, such as timing, motion, and sequencing. 

You work with both hand-drawn and digital tools under the guidance of a professional animator. The course also covers the history of animation and introduces you to career options in the field. After finishing the course, you receive a Parsons Academy Certificate Program.

Location: Parsons' NYC Greenwich Village campus

Cost: $830 + $40 University Fee

Application Deadline: July 15

Program Dates: July 28 – August 8

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8

8. FIT’s Middle School 4-Day Workshops: Art Through Mixed Media

FIT offers 4-day art workshops for middle school students, with a focus on fashion and design. In the Art Through Mixed Media workshop, you use everyday and unusual materials to create original artwork. You take part in guided demonstrations to learn how to plan, layer, and combine materials. 

You build skills in composition, texture, and experimenting with different surfaces. The workshop helps you understand how to express creative ideas using mixed media. Other available courses include Drawing Fashion Faces and Figures, Drawing Red Carpet Couture, and Fashion Sketch to Runway.

Location: New York

Cost: $470

Application Deadline: June 10

Program Dates: July 14 – 17

Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 9

9. The Art Studio NY: Summer Art Safari in NYC Museums and Parks for Teens

The Art Studio NY offers a summer program called the Summer Art Safari for teens. You visit 2 museums and 1 park each week to create art inspired by what you see. Locations include Central Park, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Guggenheim, Cooper Hewitt, The Museum of Natural History, and others. 

You work in styles like impressionism, cubism, realism, manga, graffiti, and portraiture using materials such as pencil, watercolor, pastels, collage, and mixed media. Professional artists guide you with one-on-one instruction, helping you learn techniques like shading, color blending, proportion, and layering. 

Location: New York

Cost: $449

Application Deadline: Rolling basis

Program Dates: June 16 – 20

Eligibility: Students aged 12 – 18

10. Textile Arts Center Summer Camp

Textile Arts Center offers a summer camp for middle school students focused on fiber and textile techniques. You choose a discipline like dyeing, sewing and fashion, soft sculpture, weaving, or printing. During the week, you visit textile exhibitions and learn directly from local artists. 

You practice skills such as fabric dyeing methods, sewing stitches, weaving patterns, printing designs, and creating soft sculptures. The program also covers the environmental impact of textile production. By the end, you will have completed a detailed project using the techniques you learned.

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Cost: $660

Application Deadline: Rolling basis

Program Dates: Weekly programs from July 7 – August 22

Eligibility: 5 – 14-year-olds

11. Urban Glass Middle School Camp! Melty Magic: Glass Fusing

Urban Glass offers a Middle School Camp called Melty Magic: Glass Fusing. You work with different types of glass, like translucent sheets, strands, granules, and powders, to create 3D art. You learn to cut glass shapes, draw using powders, and use a kiln to fuse pieces. 

You make decorative and functional items such as mobiles, coasters, pendants, plates, and wall tiles. The camp helps you develop your own style and creative process. At the end, family and friends are invited to see your work at a final showcase.

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Cost: $750 – $950 

Application Deadline: Rolling basis

Program Dates: July 7 – 11

Eligibility: Rising and current middle school students

12. The Wooster Group Summer Institute

The Wooster Group Summer Institute is a 3-week performance workshop. You take part in sessions on acting, movement, writing, voice training, and microphone use led by working professionals. You also learn about theater design elements like lighting, sound, video, sets, and costumes to get a full view of production. 

You work with other participants and receive guidance from mentors. The program focuses on building your confidence and creativity in performance. It ends with three public shows on the final weekend.

Location: Manhattan, NY

Cost: Free

Application Deadline: May 1

Program Dates: July 7 – 26

Eligibility: Students who attend a New York City public school, are at least 12 years old, and have not graduated from high school

13. Inside Broadway Summer Theatre Camp

Summer Theatre Camp is a 2-week program focused on musical theatre. You learn skills like theater games, acting, voice, choreography, and scenic design. The camp covers theater terms and working with scripts, music, costumes, props, and sets. You also visit a performance of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and attend a workshop with Broadway professionals. The camp ends with two performances for an invited audience.

Location: New York, NY

Cost: $750

Application Deadline: Rolling basis

Program Dates: August 4 – 15

Eligibility: 9 – 16-year-olds

14. CinemaKidz Film, Animation and S.T.E.A.M. Summer Camps: Storyboarding, Comics & Digital Animation

CinemaKidz offers camps in media and arts for students interested in filmmaking, animation, acting, game design, or costume design. The camp teaches the basics of storytelling, cinematography, and editing through hands-on projects. 

In the Storyboarding, Comics & Digital Animation program, you learn to design and draw a superhero character using Procreate. You work on drawing skills, creating dialogue, and frame-by-frame animation techniques. By the end, you build a costume for your character and film a short scene from your story.

Location: Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens

Cost: $750 per week

Application Deadline: Rolling basis

Program Dates: week-long programs from June 30 – August 29

Eligibility: 5 – 15-year-olds

15. Rosebud Art Studio: Tracing the Masters Camps

Tracing the Masters lets you study the art and techniques of Modern and Contemporary artists such as Frank Stella, Georges Seurat, and Grandma Moses. You attend presentations and watch demonstrations to understand their methods. You practice skills like pointillism, abstraction, color theory, composition, and form. 

Using these techniques, you create your drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures, and pottery. The camp helps you develop observation skills, hand-eye coordination, and an understanding of different materials and tools. You also learn how to analyze and interpret artworks, applying those ideas to your projects.

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Cost: Varies by course, ranging from $145 – $680

Application Deadline: Rolling basis

Program Dates: Varies by course

Eligibility: 4 – 18-year-olds

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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