If you’re a high school student in California and want to level up your art skills and explore creative fields, a summer art program in the state can be a solid way. These programs give you hands-on experience in painting, sculpture, digital media, and performance art. You’ll work in real studios, join focused workshops, and learn directly from artists who’ve been in the field.
You’ll also experiment with new techniques and build a portfolio showing off your skills. Whether you’re into fine arts, animation, or mixed media, these programs help you refine your style and understand how the creative industry works. You’ll also get feedback on your work and learn how to develop your ideas from concept to final piece.
To help you find the right fit, we’ve put together a list of 15 summer art programs for high school students in California!
15 Summer Art Programs for High School Students in California
1. The Pre-College Art Experience (PCAE) at the Academy of Art University
Location: Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA or Virtual
Cost: Students only pay for housing and class supplies; tuition is covered by the scholarship.
Application Deadline: February 11
Program Dates: June 16 – June 26
Eligibility: All current high school students can apply.
The Pre-College Art Experience (PCAE) at the Academy of Art University offers training in areas like animation, game design, fashion, fine art, photography, and filmmaking. You’ll learn industry-standard techniques and work on projects to build a strong art portfolio.
The program helps you develop skills like digital illustration, character design, visual storytelling, and composition. You can choose between an in-person summer session in San Francisco or a year-round online program. In both formats, you’ll earn $1,000 toward your college education for each course you pass, up to $4,000 total.
2. UCLA Art Summer Institute Program
Location: Art Summer Institute, Los Angeles, California or remote
Cost: $3,103. Due to having multiple sessions with various focuses, UCLA offers a fee calculator to give students accurate cost of attendance information.
Application Deadline: Session A & C: June 13; Session B: June 6
Program Dates: Session A: Virtual: June 23 – July 5; Session B: In-person/Mandatory Housing: July 6 – July 19; Session C: In-person/Commuter: July 21 – August 1
Eligibility: Students in grade 8th – 12th grade
At the UCLA Art Summer Institute, you’ll focus on building practical art skills while exploring your creative ideas. You can choose a track in drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, or video art and work on hands-on projects to improve your technique and develop your style.
The program includes studio sessions, group critiques, and lectures from practicing artists. You’ll develop specific skills like composition, color theory, visual storytelling, and digital editing, with one-on-one feedback from faculty on your projects.
3. The California State Summer School for the Arts
Location: California State Summer School, Sacramento, California
Cost: CA State Residents – $4,830, Out-of-State and International Students – $9,977 (full and partial tuition scholarships are available)
Application Deadline: February 28
Program Dates: July 5 – August 1
Eligibility: Students entering 9th-12th grade
The California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) offers a month-long intensive program focused on developing your skills in animation, film, and visual arts. In the Animation Program, you’ll explore experimental and traditional techniques, learning from experienced artists while building skills in storyboarding, character design, and frame-by-frame animation.
The Film Program provides hands-on training in production planning, directing, screenwriting, cinematography, sound design, and video editing, with a structure similar to a BFA course. In the Visual Arts Program, you’ll take studio classes in figure drawing, design, painting, digital media, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, and photography.
4. UCLA Acting and Performance Institute
Location: Art Summer Institute, Los Angeles, CA or remote
Cost: $4,961
Application Deadline: Session 1: June 6; Session 2: June 13
Program Dates: Session 1: Residential: June 22 – July 12; Session 2: Commuter: June 22 – July 11
Eligibility: Students in grade 9th – 12th grade
The UCLA Performing Arts Program offers a three-week intensive curriculum designed to develop your theater skills. You’ll engage in performance coaching, movement techniques, script analysis, and creative writing to strengthen your artistic abilities.
The program provides practical experience in theater production, including rehearsals, conceptual development, stage direction, and character building. You’ll also participate in a final showcase performance, applying the techniques and concepts you’ve learned throughout the program.
5. UCLA Game Lab Summer Institute
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA or remote
Cost: $3,346
Application Deadline: Session A: June 13; Session B.1: June 6; Session B.2: June 13
Program Dates: Session A.1: Virtual: July 7 – 18; Session B.1: Residential: July 20 – August 2; Session B.2: Commuter: July 21 – August 1
Eligibility: All participants must be at least 15 years of age (or 17 for residential sessions) by the first day of the program.
UCLA’s game-making program approaches game design as an art form. Over the summer, you’ll create both digital and physical games, with options for residential or virtual formats. You’ll learn the fundamentals of game design, focusing on world-building, 3D character creation, and narrative development.
The program provides hands-on experience with coding languages like C++ and Python, game engines, and the development of interactive environments and game mechanics. You’ll also practice prototyping, playtesting, and refining your designs to create engaging playable experiences.
6. Teen Gallery Guides at The Getty Center Museum
Location: Getty Center Museum, Los Angeles, CA
Stipend: $2,300
Application Deadline: March 5 by 9:00 PM.
Program Dates: May 3 – August 2
Eligibility: Rising juniors/seniors in LA County, within 25 miles of the Getty Center, 16+ by program start, with no prior Getty teen program participation. East LA/Boyle Heights applicants are encouraged.
The Getty Museum Teen Gallery Guide program is a paid summer internship for teens interested in museum education and art. You’ll be trained to lead guided tours of the Getty Center’s collection for K-12 visitors. Throughout the program, you’ll develop skills in public speaking, tour facilitation, and art interpretation.
You’ll learn to engage diverse audiences, explain art concepts clearly, and enhance the visitor experience. The program also provides hands-on experience in curating tours and presenting artworks, offering a practical introduction to museum work.
7. Otis College of Art and Design Summer of Art
Location: Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: For complete cost details, click here.
Application Deadline: June 23
Program Dates: July 7 – August 1
Eligibility: High school students ages over 15 are eligible to apply.
Otis College of Art and Design’s Summer of Art is an intensive program for students aged 15 and older looking to develop their art and design skills. You’ll get hands-on instruction from practicing artists through drawing studio courses and specialized classes in architecture, concept art, digital media, graphic design, and printmaking. The program helps you work on fundamental techniques like perspective, composition, and color theory, along with advanced concepts like visual storytelling and design thinking.
8. California College of Arts Pre-College
Location: CCA Campus, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $8,075 (Residential) | $5,615 (Commuter)
Application Deadline: June 10
Program Dates: July 7 – August 1
Eligibility: Current high school students who will complete their sophomore, junior, or senior year by summer are eligible to apply for CCA Pre-College
Located on CCA’s San Francisco campus, this pre-college art program is for high school students who have completed at least their sophomore year. You’ll take studio courses that help turn your ideas into professional, portfolio-ready pieces.
The program covers traditional art disciplines like painting and drawing and offers opportunities to explore specialized fields such as comics, industrial design, game design, and digital illustration. Through hands-on projects and faculty feedback, you’ll strengthen both your technical skills and creative approach.
9. Design Immersion Days
Location: SCI-Arc campus, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $3,350, full financial aid offered on a need-based criteria
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until capacity is reached.
Program Dates: June 16 – July 11
Eligibility: All high school students can apply.
Design Immersion Days, hosted by the Southern California Institute of Architecture, is a 4-week pre-college program for high school students focused on design and architecture. Through weekly sessions, you’ll work on traditional drawing and building methods and explore digital tools like 3D modeling, 3D printing, and augmented reality.
The program offers hands-on practice with physical and digital design techniques, helping you understand how each works and how to apply them. You’ll also study urban design by analyzing Los Angeles’ cityscape from different perspectives.
10. Horizon Academic Research Program
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Spring: February 16; Summer: February 16 (early), March 23 (priority), April 20 (regular-I), May 18 (regular-II)!
Program Dates: Spring: March 3; Summer: June 16! Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields, under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student, as well as detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects and college applications. Apply here!
11. California College of the Arts (CCA) Pre-College Fashion Program
Location: San Francisco, CA
Cost: $8,075 (Residential) | $5,615 (Commuter)
Application Deadline: Applications open in September and close in June
Program Dates: June 8 – August 2
Eligibility: Open to high school students who have completed sophomore, junior, or senior year and are 15+ by July 12, but no older than 18 by August 2.
This pre-college studio program takes you through the full process of fashion design, from the initial concept to creating wearable garments. Over four weeks, you’ll work in a college-level environment through hands-on projects, field trips, and sessions with industry professionals.
The program covers finding inspiration, maintaining a sketchbook, and developing designs using both traditional and modern techniques. You’ll also learn practical skills like fashion illustration, pattern making, and sewing, helping you turn your ideas into finished pieces.
12. OTIS College of Art and Design’s Summer of Art – Fashion Design
Location: Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $2,690.
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions.
Program Dates: July 8 – 31.
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12.
OTIS College of Art and Design’s Summer of Art – Fashion Design program takes you through the process of turning fashion ideas into finished garments. You’ll start by developing concepts, sketching ideas, and learning the techniques to bring those ideas to life. The curriculum includes advanced sketching, creating mood boards, and technical design skills.
You’ll work in a professional studio, gaining hands-on experience with industrial sewing equipment to turn your illustrations into real clothing. The program ends with a final exhibition on August 1, where you’ll present your designs.
13. UCLA Pre-College Summer Institutes – Design Media Arts
Location: UCLA
Cost: $3,214
Program Dates: Session A.1: Residential: July 6 – 19; Session A.2: Commuter: July 7 – 18; Session B: Virtual: July 21 – August 1
Application Deadline: Session A.1: June 6; Session A.2: June 13; Session B: June 13
Eligibility: 9-12th grader who is at least 15 years old
The UCLA Pre-College Summer Institutes in Design Media Arts is for high school students interested in combining art, design, and technology. You’ll explore design principles, animation, web development, and multimedia storytelling, using industry-standard tools and software. With guidance from UCLA faculty, you’ll build technical skills and work on group projects, creating a portfolio that reflects your design and media abilities.
14. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Art Track
Location: Remote
Cost: $2,990 for Individual Research Program, $5,900 for Premium Research & Publication Program, $8,900 for Research Fellowship.
Program Dates: Varies based on program selection
Application Deadline: The summer Cohort I deadline is March 9.
Eligibility: High-achieving high school students with a passion for art and research
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
15. Idyllwild Arts Summer Teen Programs
Location: Idyllwild, CA
Cost: Resident Tuition: $4,700 (two weeks) | Day Tuition: $2,180 (two weeks)
Program Dates: Varies based on specific programs. Find the list of programs here.
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High school students aged 14 – 17.
Idyllwild Arts High School Intensives and Workshops give you hands-on training in different art fields. In the Dance Intensive, you’ll take daily classes in ballet, pointe, jazz, modern dance, tap, musical theatre dance, and choreography.
The Instrumental Artist’s Intensive focuses on chamber music and orchestral performance, with training in strings and piano. If you’re into gaming, the Game Design Bootcamp teaches you how to build games in Unity, covering game design fundamentals, coding, and interactive world creation.
Image source: University of California, Los Angeles
