Summer Academy
Summer Academy is an immersive, four-week, in-person pre-college program designed for talented and motivated high school students. Modeled after PAFA’s world-renowned undergraduate first-year curriculum, this rigorous experience provides an unparalleled opportunity to develop artistic skills on PAFA’s historic campus—the nation's first and premier school of fine art.
Program Highlights
- Expert Instruction – Learn from PAFA’s exceptional faculty of practicing artists.
- Comprehensive Art Training – Master essential drawing skills and choose three additional concentrations: sculpture, printmaking, oil painting, illustration, or animation.
- Portfolio Preparation – Receive personalized portfolio reviews and guidance from PAFA Admissions staff.
- Professional Development – Engage in critique sessions, behind-the-scenes tours of PAFA, and visits to Philadelphia art spaces.
- Museum Exhibition – Exhibit your work in PAFA’s world-class museum galleries.
Additional Information
- Non-Residential Program – While housing is not provided, students from outside the Greater Philadelphia area are welcome to reach out with questions at precollege@pafa.org.
- Apply Now – Take the next step in your artistic journey by joining PAFA’s Summer Academy!
This program is an intensive college-level experience, preparing students for future artistic and academic success.
Looking for a fun and creative camp for kids ages 5-14, check out our Summer Art Camp.
Summer Academy Class Schedule
Summer Academy runs on Monday-Friday for 4 weeks, usually starting right after the week of July 4th. All students study drawing in Foundations of Drawing and select three additional concentrations to explore. Applicants have the opportunity to indicate their preferred concentrations when they apply. Every attempt will be made to offer students their top choices, balanced with a commitment to developing a rich community of student artists in each class.
Summer Academy 2025
Dates: June 23rd-July 18th
Areas of Concentration: drawing, oil painting, printmaking, sculpture, and illustration.
Classes take place from 9 AM- 4 PM, with a 1-hour lunch break. Each Summer Academy class is one full day per week, and schedules vary depending on which track students sign up for. Classes involve a mixture of lecture, demonstrations, studio time and feedback. Students receive one-on-one guidance from world class instructors who push young artists to reach the next level of skill and creativity. Students also learn from encounters with their creative peers.
Fridays are devoted to critique, museum tours, and free studio time.
Sample schedule (varies depending on the selection of classes):
| Time Slot | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9AM–12PM | Printmaking with Kandice Fields Portalatin | Digital Media with Deon Robinson | Sculpture with Colleen O’Donnell | Drawing/Painting with D’Shon McCarthy | TA-Led Enrichment: Museum tours, faculty studio visits, and supervised open studio time Victor Surbrook and Lilya Kalinovsky |
| 12PM–1PM | Lunch | ||||
| 1PM–4PM | Printmaking with Kandice Fields Portalatin | Digital Media with Deon Robinson | Sculpture with Colleen O’Donnell | Drawing/Painting with D’Shon McCarthy | TA-Led Enrichment: Museum tours, faculty studio visits, and supervised open studio time Victor Surbrook and Lilya Kalinovsky |
MONDAY
9AM–12PM: Printmaking with Printmaking with Kandice Fields Portalatin
12PM–1PM: Lunch
1PM–4PM: Printmaking with Printmaking with Kandice Fields Portalatin
TUESDAY
9AM–12PM: Digital Media with Deon Robinson
12PM–1PM: Lunch
1PM–4PM: Digital Media with Deon Robinson
WEDNESDAY
9AM–12PM: Sculpture with Colleen O’Donnell
12PM–1PM: Lunch
1PM–4PM: Sculpture with Colleen O’Donnell
THURSDAY
9AM–12PM: Drawing/Painting with D’Shon McCarthy
12PM–1PM: Lunch
1PM–4PM: Drawing/Painting with D’Shon McCarthy
FRIDAY
9AM–12PM: TA-Led Enrichment with Victor Surbrook and Lilya Kalinovsky: Museum tours, faculty studio visits, and supervised open studio time
12PM–1PM: Lunch
1PM–4PM: TA-Led Enrichment with Victor Surbrook and Lilya Kalinovsky: Museum tours, faculty studio visits, and supervised open studio time
Classes
Painting + Drawing: Foundations & Oil Painting
In this class, students begin with Foundations of Drawing, mastering essential skills in observational drawing. Focused on the elements of line, shape, composition, perspective, and value, students learn to create the illusion of three-dimensional space through direct observation of subjects like still life, interior spaces, landscapes, and the human figure (with the use of nude models). This foundational skill-building prepares students for further artistic development.
Building upon the drawing foundation, students will then explore Oil Painting, learning traditional techniques, materials, and methods. The class covers painting supports, brushes, oil mediums, and their preparation, along with paint chemistry, color mixing, and both historical and contemporary approaches to oil painting. Students will create artwork from subjects such as still-life, cityscapes, and the human figure, allowing for the development of a strong two-dimensional visual language.
This combined focus offers a comprehensive approach to painting and drawing and is a great opportunity for those pursuing serious artistic practice.
This class is an optional concentration.
Sculpture
Sculpture is the art form that operates in three dimensions (3-D). This class will explore the three basic components of sculpture: modeling, carving & assembly. Using these techniques, students will develop conceptual and perceptual skills to make an accurate and expressive volumetric sculpture. Students will learn to understand symmetry, proportion and sculptural visualization skills.
This class is an optional concentration.
Printmaking
Learn the fundamentals of printmaking in PAFA’s exceptional printshop. Students develop their own drawings and ideas to create prints using a wide range of techniques. Students gain access to specialized equipment rarely available beyond a few professional studios. Students make black-and-white and color prints using additive and subtractive processes, which may include relief printing, stencil, etching (intaglio) and silkscreen.
This class is an optional concentration.
Digital Media: Illustration & Animation
Students develop skills in storytelling and visual communication using both traditional and digital media. Through hands-on exploration, students learn the materials, methods, and language of visual storytelling, which may include book and magazine illustration, graphic novels, posters, storyboard art, and animation.
Building on a strong foundation in drawing, students experiment with traditional illustration techniques alongside digital tools for image creation, manipulation, and graphic design. The class also introduces animation techniques, blending handcrafted and digital methods to bring artistic narratives to life. Students may explore stop motion, 2D animation, motion graphics, and commercial illustration applications.
This class is an optional concentration.
Tuition and Fees
Summer Academy aims to provide an enriching experience for all participants. Please review the following tuition, withdrawal, and refund policies to ensure you are fully informed about your financial commitments and the process for withdrawing from a class.
Full program cost covers:
- Four college level studio art classes
- All art supplies
- Studio space and facilities
- Field trips
Total Tuition and Fees: $4,680
Scholarships Available for Summer Academy 2025! Learn more and apply now.
There is no application fee for Summer Academy. If accepted, a non-refundable deposit of $200 is required to confirm space in the program.
Payment Methods
Deposit/tuition payments may be made by check, money order or credit card. Directions for payment will be included with admission to program.
Summer Academy qualifies for the use of 529 funds. Please speak with your 529 savings plan administrator to confirm details.
Withdraw & Refund Policies
A student may withdraw from the Summer Academy up until the last day of the program. Withdrawals must be made in writing to the precollege@pafa.org.
- The $200 registration deposit is non-refundable.
- Remaining Tuition is refundable if requested prior to June 15
- No refunds after June 15, unless they are necessitated by medical or other emergency and will be addressed on a case-by-case basis
- PAFA cannot prorate the Summer Academy for withdrawals or missed classes.
If you have questions, please reach out to precollege@pafa.org or 215-972-2022
Summer Academy Health Safety
Summer Academy follows Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) guidelines for safe practices at the time of the program.
PAFA has taught the next generation of American artists for over 200 years- through wars, plague, and social upheaval. Throughout this time, PAFA’s unparalleled teaching tradition has enabled students to develop skills to create art that sustains society and points the way towards a better future. We are excited to continue in this tradition for Summer Academy.
If you have questions, please reach out to precollege@pafa.org or 215-972-7630
PAFA is a non-profit school accredited through the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
PAFA is an applicant for licensure with the State Board of Private Licensed Schools.
PAFA, like any other college or university, cannot guarantee that credit earned will transfer to another institution. Transfer of credit is regulated by the criteria established by the receiving institution. It is the student's responsibility to confirm whether credits will be accepted by another institution of the student's choice. All PAFA officials are required to accurately represent the transferability of any courses, programs, and certificates offered by PAFA.
Contact Us
PAFA offers programs for artists and art lovers of all ages and skill levels who want to learn about and make art.