Young Artist Studio Program
Establish a foundation in artmaking at our CCA summer program for middle schoolers who love art class.
About
A one-week, all-day program
Make art and make friends on campus
Students currently in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade — of all skill levels — are eligible to attend Young Artist Studio Program (YASP) on our San Francisco campus. The weeklong, all-day CCA summer program is designed for middle school students to experience art and design school and be immersed fully in the practice of artmaking.
Classes meet in the morning and afternoon, with a 45-minute break for lunch in Makers Cafe on campus. Each day, students work on various projects based on their chosen studio topic area. At the end of the week, family and friends can see and celebrate what the young artists have created at a student exhibition.
Studios
Deepen established skills or try something new
Choose a topic taught by seasoned professionals
YASP students select one topic area to focus on for the duration of the week-long program and gain hands-on experience in the studio by creating work for the culminating exhibition. Each YASP instructor is a practicing artist or designer with experience teaching middle school-aged students. Our instructors aim to help every YASP student feel excited to deepen their experience or to explore something totally new.
- Animation
- Architecture & Interior Design
- Ceramics, Sculpture, & Drawing
- Comics & Visual Storytelling
- Graphic Design
- Fashion Design & Illustration
- Film & Photography
- Illustration & Drawing
- Jewelry Making & Metal Arts
- Painting & Drawing
- Printmaking & Mixed Media
Register directly or apply for a scholarship first
There are two steps to registering for YASP:
- Select a specific studio and pay the tuition. Upon purchase, you will receive a confirmation email and a link to the Young Artist Studio Program Application.
- Complete and submit the application to finalize the registration and secure your student's spot.
YASP registration closes five days before each session starts to ensure all materials can be purchased for our young artists.
Scholarships are available
We offer a limited number of scholarships to YASP applicants who have significant financial need. Please only apply if your student cannot otherwise afford to attend.
Rather than signing up for a specific studio directly, submit a YASP Scholarship Application, upload the required scholarship items, and indicate your top two studio choices within the application. Spaces are reserved for scholarship students. Please note: Scholarships do not include the lunch and snack fees.
Sign up for registration alerts
YASP attendance is granted on a first-come, first-served basis, and studios fill fast. Sign up for email notifications and we’ll alert you as soon as registration opens.
Key dates
Support & FAQs
We’re here to help nurture your young artist
YASP frequently asked questions
What age groups can attend YASP?
YASP is reserved for students who will have just completed the sixth, seventh, or eighth grades the spring before the upcoming program. We know this can get confusing because our program is during summer break, so here’s an example: If your student is about to complete fifth grade this spring and you want to register them for YASP this summer, they are ineligible and should wait until next year. However, if your student is about the complete eighth grade this spring and you want to register them for YASP this summer, they are eligible and we hope they’ll attend.
Can friends be in studios together?
Registration is first come, first served, with spaces reserved for scholarship students in each studio. If you wish to increase the likelihood of attending a studio together, be sure to sign up for a studio course at the same time as the other student. That said, one of the beautiful aspects of YASP is that many of the students grow to become friends by the end of the week. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet new people their age with a similar love of art.
Do you provide transportation?
No. Since our program is small, and we have students commute from a wide array of locations, registering with a friend can help with sharing transportation responsibilities if you are concerned about getting to and from campus. In some cases, we can share your contact information with participants in the same location as you. If they are interested in coordinating carpools, they will contact you.
How big are classes?
Studio courses are restricted to 12 to 16 students per studio. The small class size helps ensure our instructors are empowered to concentrate on each individual student and provide hands-on experiences that best support each participant. This does mean that the studios fill up quickly, however, so please sign up for our newsletter to get an alert when registration opens. Subscribe for registration alerts.
What is the curriculum and daily schedule?
Studio descriptions and instructor bios will be available when YASP registration opens so you and your student can peruse the options before making a selection. YASP is a one-week CCA summer program dedicated to immersing middle school students in the experience of artmaking in an art and design school setting; therefore, each class takes place in the studio and our young artists will dig right in on Day 1.
Here is a look at the general daily schedule, where one-and-a-half-hour and two-hour learning blocks are divided by 15-minute breaks and a 45-minute lunch, all monitored by CCA staff:
- 8:45-9:00 am — Student drop off
- 9:00-10:30 am — Class and studio time
- 10:30-10:45 am — Break
- 10:45 am-12:00 pm — Class and studio time
- 12:00-12:45 pm — Lunch at Makers Cafe
- 12:45-2:15 pm — Class and studio time
- 2:15-2:30 pm — Break
- 2:30-4:00 pm — Class and studio time
- 4:00-4:15 pm — Student pick up
YASP has strict policies regarding parent visitations during lunch and breaks, as well as requests for drop off and pick up procedures. These policies will be shared with students and parents before the start of the program.
How much does YASP cost?
Tuition is $650 and covers all art supplies, lab fees, lunch, and snacks. Students in the photography studio are asked to bring a working digital camera, preferably with the option for manual control of camera functions.
Will you provide food throughout the day?
You bet. No one has fun making art when they’re hangry. Every student is required to eat lunch with their studio classmates at Makers Cafe on campus, and we provide an afternoon snack as well. The cost of food for the whole week is covered in the price of tuition. If your student has allergies or dietary restrictions, we can likely accommodate any request. You’ll provide that information on the general enrollment form we will send you via email after signing up. Read YASP Policies.
Where is the student exhibition held?
This is one of the best parts of YASP, and we encourage all our young artists’ families and friends to attend! Celebrating their work and seeing how much they have grown during the week is a wonderful experience for everyone involved. The student exhibition is held on CCA’s San Francisco campus to complete the experience of art and design school. You will receive location, date, and time details at the beginning of YASP. We’re as excited for it as you are.
Do you have any accessibility, safety, and medical policies?
Yes, and we encourage every parent and guardian who wishes to register their student for YASP to review them. This also includes information on family visits during class sessions, as well as important pickup and drop off procedures you should familiarize yourself with before the program begins. Read YASP Policies.
Contact us anytime
We believe creativity is a lifelong experience that expands the potential of communities and individuals alike. How can we help? Email [email protected].
Take studio-focused courses taught by accomplished faculty