Summer Academy is an intense college-level art program. This rigorous experience is modeled after PAFA's own world renowned, undergraduate first-year arts curriculum.  

Students will master essential drawing and oil painting skills and build on this foundation by choosing to explore a range of other skills, including sculpture, printmaking, illustration and animation.  

Students will gain additional artistic and professional development experience with weekly critique sessions (affectionately known as ‘crit’) and behind the scenes tours of PAFA and other Philadelphia art spaces.  

Finally, students will have the opportunity to exhibit their work at PAFA’s world-class museum and receive an in-depth portfolio review with PAFA Admissions staff, giving students the experience to reach the next level of their artistic journey.  

Full program cost includes: 

Four college level studio art courses, providing pre-college visual arts certificate 

All art supplies 

Studio space and facilities 

Field trips 

After-Camp Care is provided for Summer Camp attendees who require care once the camp day is concluded, until a parent or designated person can pick them up. Aftercare is from 3:00 PM until 5:30 PM. Campers can be picked up at any time after 3:00 PM and must be picked up before 5:30 PM. Supervision, activities, and snacks will be provided. Aftercare is a safe and enriching cool-down period during which many friendships and communal skills are fostered.   

Draw, paint and sculpt furry, feathery, and scaly creatures! Animals large and small will feature as subjects all week. Roaring, squeaking, barking, and quacking are welcome while we make wild, and wildly creative artworks. 

Explore the unique qualities of sculptural art learning a variety of techniques, foundational principles, types of materials, and a wide range of approaches.    

Explore the unique qualities of sculptural art learning a variety of techniques, foundational principles, types of materials, and a wide range of approaches.    

After Camp Care is provided for Summer Camp attendees who require care once the camp day is concluded until a parent or designated person can pick them up. After CAre is from 3 PM until 5:30 PM. Campers can be picked up at anytime after 3 and must be picked up before 5:30 PM. Supervision, actiities and snacks will be provided. Aftercare is a safe, enriching, cool down period when many friendships and communal skills are fostered.

Get creative AND get messy as you discover the multiple qualities of color! Invent insane color combinations and make phenomenal, unique art projects. 

Embark on a creative journey into the art of painting. Learn about tools, basic color-mixing, composition, and form. Try your hand with acrylics, watercolors, as well as tempera paints.