Summer art and design courses

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is thrilled to offer our acclaimed art and design classes to artists and teachers from across the globe this summer. Both emerging and established artists are invited to join SAIC faculty and fellow thinkers and makers for an exciting and immersive art-making experience. 

On-campus and online courses will be offered in multi-week summer sessions and one-week intensives starting in May, June, July and August. Optional housing in SAIC Residence Halls is available for one-week intensive Adult Continuing Education courses, and 3- and 6-week degree program courses. 

Degree program courses for students-at-large
Non-degree seeking students are welcome to join our degree students, other college students, artists, and designers from Chicago and beyond in SAIC’s undergraduate or graduate degree program courses. Over 150 degree program courses across our 23 departments are offered, and credits earned are transferable to most colleges. 

Course offerings include: Designed Objects: Parametric Modeling: Rhino / Furniture Design: Chair Studio / Art History: Socially Engaged Art Practice / Chicago Architecture and Public Sculpture / Neon Techniques / Digital Sound I / Intro to Art Therapy / Arts Administration: How Grants Work / Art and Technology: The Electronic Manuscript / Photography: Alternative Image Capture / Photography: Lighting Fundamentals / Printmedia: Screenprinting, Multilevel / Ceramics: Throwing, Multilevel / Fiber: Printed Fabric Workshop / Fashion: Next to Skin / Drawing for Animation / Sculpture: Moldmaking and Casting / Visual Communication Design: Beginning Typography. Learn more and register.

Non-credit adult continuing education (ACE) courses
Adult Continuing Education courses are available in a wide variety of studio and making areas- from Fashion Design to Painting to Creative Writing- as well as skill-based professional advancement courses in Interior Design, digital design programs including Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, Color Theory and more.

Course offerings include: Drawing on Site: Urban Sketching, on-campus / The Art of Creative Writing: Short Forms of Fiction and Poetry, cnline / Sewing Techniques: Fundamentals, online / Frame Loom Weaving, on-campus / Digital Design: Adobe Illustrator, online / Digital Design: Adobe Photoshop, on-campus / Islamic Art: The Mastery of Geometry, on-campus / Painting Studio: Multi-level, on-campus / Plein Air Painting, on-campus / Introduction to Digital Photography, on-campus / Experimental Drawing and Painting: Exploring Contemporary Practice One-Week Intensive, on-campus / Painting and Drawing One-Week Intensive, on-campus / Laser Cutting and Engraving One-Week Intensive, on-campus. See all courses and register.

Advanced placement summer institutes (APSI) courses for teachers
Join fellow AP teachers from around the world for SAIC’s Advanced Placement Summer Institutes (APSI). Go beyond professional development and experience a unique combination of revitalizing seminar sessions and collaborative activities as you explore dynamic and innovative teaching strategies. Our faculty are not only AP-approved consultants, but they are part of the College Board team at the highest levels.

APSI Studio Art and Design, online
Session one: July 25–29, 9am–5pm CT, with M. Colleen Harrigan and Michael x. Ryan.
Session two: August 1–5 , 9am–5pm CT, with M. Colleen Harrigan and Michael x. Ryan.

APSI Art History, on-campus 
August 1–4, 8:30am–5pm CT, with Marsha Russell

SAIC also offers programs for children, Middle School and High School students, as well as adult noncredit certificates designed to accommodate students with diverse interests and backgrounds. See here for more information and to register today. Learn more: T 312 629 6170 / cs@saic.edu / website.