Opportunity Guide I Summer, Enrichment & Activities Guide
If your child loves singing, dancing, acting, playing an instrument, composing music or painting and designing, she will find a plethora of outstanding fun and instructional programs where she can develop her talents and meet people who love what she does. Check out extracurricular arts activities, including performance opportunities, at your child’s school or at local community centers. Specialized private weekend classes and summer programs for students of all levels are sponsored by various art institutes, music festivals, universities and professional music and dance companies.
To perform at the highest levels, many arts, especially music and dance, require private lessons and enrichment. If your child likes to perform, look for audition opportunities at local fairs, festivals, community orchestras and theaters. Many professional theaters and ballet companies sponsor summer intensive programs from talented youth. A child who enjoys competing may be interested in participating in arts contests where her work can earn recognition and win awards. The best students compete, at national arts contests that offer scholarship prizes.
- The Pre-College Art Experience (PCAE) is a dual-scholarship program available to only current high school students. The program provides classes for students to take at no tuition charge as well as… Read more
- The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago is a nationally recognized training center for highly gifted pre-college pianists and string players. The Academy provides a comprehensive musical… Read more
- Act out and dream big! At our Tony Award–winning conservatory, students ages 8 to 19 develop their talents, perform in professional-caliber productions, and gain the confidence to succeed—all in a… Read more
- The NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles (ANHE) represent the top performing high school musicians in the United States. So much more than a musical ensemble, it is a comprehensive, musical and… Read more
- Try out college life and take college-level courses in special programs for high school students. High school students with a B or better grade point average may enroll as non-degree students in… Read more
- Through on-site arts education programs, outreach to schools and community-based partnerships, Appel Farm provides people of all ages, cultures and economic backgrounds with a supportive, cooperative… Read more
- The Early College Program at AIC offers art and design classes for high school students. ECP students receive college-level instruction from SAIC's professionally practicing faculty and access to… Read more
- The Asian Art Museum’s Art Speak internship offers on-the-job training and monthly stipends to seven public high school students in grades 10–12. Interns discover Asian art and cultural traditions,… Read more
- The mission of CMT San Jose is to train and educate today’s youth through musical theater to set and achieve high artistic and personal goals, and to inspire them to become exemplary artists, patrons… Read more
- CIM offers lessons, classes and ensembles and music (both instrumental and voice) summer programs. In addition, for more serious young musicians: Young Artist Program: The Young Artist Program… Read more
- For those students who know they want to pursue music training at the highest level, Colburn offers the Music Academy, a pre-college program for students ages 14 through 18. Our comprehensive… Read more
- Columbia University offers several summer programs for high school students, both in its home city of New York City, but also in foreign countries as well. For students that will be in New York, they… Read more
- Get a head start on a future in design! Teens in New York City can apply to be a DesignPrep Scholar, a free program that features hands-on workshops with professional designers, design studio visits… Read more
- The Cornell University Summer Session traces its roots to summer courses in geology, zoology, and entomology that were presented in the late 1870s. The University offered these courses in the summer… Read more
- Pre-college programs in architecture, dance, interior design, design and merchandising, graphic design, industrial design, film and tv, fashion design, music and photography.
- The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a nonprofit organization that has served over 2.8 million academically talented students in grades four through twelve since 1980. Each… Read more
- JMU hosts a wide variety of youth programs including day-long coding programs, dual enrollment programs, courses in physics, robotics, and may more. See the website for the full array of youth camps… Read more
- College for Kids is an enrichment program for children in grades 1-8. Children will work with James Madison University faculty and graduate students, as well as experts from the community and… Read more
- The Pre-College Division offers a comprehensive conservatory-style music program for students 8 - 18 years old who exhibit the talent, potential and ambition to pursue serious music study at the… Read more
- High school courses are offered year-round at the Kansas City Art Institute. All classes give fine art instruction while working with any skill level. Courses align with the KCAI Foundation Year and… Read more
- The Continuing Studies Department at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) offers non-credit classes for youth. Classes include: drawing, painting, photography, digital… Read more
- The Kennedy Center Ballet Class Series offers advanced high school students the unique opportunity to learn from nationally and internationally recognized ballet companies performing this season at… Read more
- MSM’s Precollege program gives talented students professional instruction and multiple performing opportunities in a supportive environment — and collaborative time spent with like-minded peers, many… Read more
- Mannes Prep combines a warm and supportive atmosphere with thorough pre-professional training. Our continuing personal interest in the musical growth of each student is central to the spirit of… Read more
- Whether it's an entire summer, or just a few weeks, MICA has a variety creative and inspiring programming for teens. Overview of Programs for High School Students: YPS High School Studios… Read more
- MICA provides a wide range of programs for the youngest artists to grow their skills and make the most of their interests. Artistic exploration is among the best ways for kids to build confidence in… Read more
- Calling all artists, writers, thinkers, and designers! Interested in finding out about careers in museums? Apply for a high school internship at The Met to meet experts, find mentors, make friends,… Read more
- MYAC is a full-curriculum pre-college music school. At MYAC students from kindergarten through 12th grade gain an unparalleled music experience at MYAC and are exposed to orchestral, choral, and… Read more
- Students who play an instrument or sing in an ensemble learn discipline, focus, hard work, teamwork, and valuable life skills through the pursuit of musical excellence. Furthermore, students who… Read more
- Continuing Education at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design offers top-notch, relevant, and engaging art and design programming for kids, teens, and adults taught by professional working… Read more
- The MFA is a vibrant and engaging environment for teens! Teens develop leadership skills and learn about museum professions through the Teen Arts Council, provide valuable assistance to Museum… Read more
- Musical Theatre Works (MTW) is celebrating 20 years of offering professional Broadway show experiences for young actors in San Francisco. Students come to MTW to sing, dance and act on stage, under… Read more
- The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Youth Fellowship Program is an orchestral training program for students in grades 9-12. [Younger musicians (gr. 6-8) may be considered on a special case-by-case… Read more
- The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is sponsoring its Young Associates' Program for high school students in grades 10, 11, and 12 in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area who are interested in… Read more
- The New Victory is New York City's premier nonprofit performing arts theater devoted year-round to kids and their families and classmates The New Victory Usher Corps, created to address the urgent… Read more
- Our summer and year round camps are like no other in the world. Whether you enroll in our Filmmaking, Acting for Film, Screenwriting, Broadcast Journalism, Photography, Musical Theatre, Game Design,… Read more
- 6-Week, 1-Week, & Everything In Between NYU’s varied array of high school programs offer flexibility and options that can be tailored to your individual needs and schedule. Most programs are… Read more
- Talent Search Assessment - A research-validated program, Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) utilizes above-grade-level testing to identify academic ability, measure… Read more
- The Office of Precollege Programs supports and oversees a wide range of youth outreach activities designed to increase college access and academic preparation for Oregon’s youth. Academic programs… Read more
- Providing diverse classes and certificate options for students in grades 3 through 12, Parsons Pre-College Academy meets Saturdays during the school year and for two weeks during the summer. Age… Read more
- From pre-ballet to pre-professional, we guide dancers every step along the way. PBT School, the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, is recognized as one of the nation’s finest… Read more
- Pratt’s teen program is specifically designed for teens (13 – 17) who want to explore art making in a professional studio environment. Students gain understanding of complex concepts, problem-… Read more
- Pratt PreCollege programs provide high school students with rigorous college level art, design and creative thinking courses, modeled after Pratt Institute’s undergraduate offerings. Classes are… Read more
- Programs for Teens Explore our programs for teens, including Teen Nights; Summer Camps; the Teen Performance Company; On-Site Classes; and Free Play, our free ticketing program for teens. Our Teen… Read more
- SFCM’s Pre-College division is an immersive program that instills the value of music in young children and teens, providing an artistic framework and tailored instruction for the next generation of… Read more
- Each year select, highly-motivated high school students explore the world of higher education in a five-week intensive program that includes university courses, advising, and meetings with key people… Read more
- Classes & Camps for students in grades 2 - 12 in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM), and the Arts. Internships in Science & Engineering and College Prep classes for high school… Read more
- The Pre-College Summer Intensive in Studio Art develops young artists’ foundational skills and exposes them to new technologies and conceptual frameworks for approaching art with a focus on portfolio… Read more
- Art lessons for kids at SVA: Foundations learning. Drawing and painting. Explore a wide variety of materials. For kids from Kindergarten through 9th grade. As part of its mission to meet the diverse… Read more
- SVA's Pre-College Program is designed for high school students who want to enhance their creative skills, learn more about a particular field of art, develop a portfolio and experience the challenges… Read more