RCA summer schools open for application

As the world’s leading university for art and design for the 12th year in a row  (QS World Subject Rankings 2015–26), the Royal College of Art (RCA) invites international practitioners, artists, curators, and critical thinkers  to join our 2026 summer schools. 

These intensive short courses give you the opportunity to learn directly from RCA academics, renowned practitioners and notable guest speakers who are shaping the future of art and design. They are also designed as an extension of the RCA’s postgraduate environment characterised by: small class size, hands-on practice-led research, and access to a global network of participants  from over 60 countries.

RCA summer schools are often the first step; many of our participants go on to explore new careers, develop their practice or apply successfully to our prestigious MA programs. 

Curating Contemporary Art & Design, July 6–17, live online
Centered on the theme of  “Art in Public: Curating and Commissioning Contemporary Art in Social Contexts”, the 2026 summer course will explore creative and critical work in public space as an expanded curatorial practice. 

From their various perspectives—professionally, geographically, culturally—all of the guest speakers will talk about the importance of creating diversified and dynamic public spaces through contemporary art and curatorial practice. 

Guest speakers include: Jeanne van Heeswijk (Artist, Netherlands), Amal Khalaf (Curator, UK), DAAR - Decolonising Architecture Art Research (Architects, Palestine/Sweden), Tamsin Dillon (Curator, US), Marie-Anne McQuay (Curator, UK), Alia Farid (Artist, Kuwait/Puerto Rico), Rose Lejeune (Curator, UK/Qatar), Veeranganakumari Solanki (Curator, India), Jaspar Joseph-Lester (Artist, UK) and Adam Kaasa (Artist, UK).

This short course will be of interest to those curious about non-gallery settings and public spaces as locations for art and to those interested in learning to activate the meaning of a space, place or community.

Since 2016, we have welcomed participants from Singapore's Asian Civilisations Museum, Budapest's Museum of Applied Arts, the Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Sharjah Art Foundation, the Warwick Arts Centre and the Design Trust, Gabriel Caruana Foundation, Daiwa Foundation, Arusha Gallery, to name a few.

The Course Director is Professor Victoria Walsh, Head of Programme, Curating Contemporary Art (CCA). The 2026 course is convened by Elisabeth Del Prete.

Contemporary Art Summer School, July 13–31, live online
A practice-led introduction to the study of contemporary art delivered live online over three weeks. The 2026 theme is ‘What is at Stake?’, across the summer school participants will explore urgency, drive and the making of sense in contemporary art practice. This short course examines the rich array of positions, methods and materials that artists use, as well as exploring the questions raised by contemporary art and its production.

Taught by RCA academics from our MA programmes and supported by a broad range of prominent artists, academics, critics and curators, the course provides participants with the opportunity to develop their individual practice within an interdisciplinary, collaborative atmosphere.

The course is led by performance artist and academic researcher Dr Despina Zacharopoulou. 

Architecture Summer School, July 13–17, in person
An intense and immersive architecture summer school focusing on observation, developing key skills and offering design studio experience and lectures. The summer school takes place in-person at the RCA Kensington campus, to enable participants to use the city as its testing ground. The programme provides an informal platform for discussing art and architecture and their agency.

The course is convened by architects and RCA tutors, Sabrina Morreale and Lorenzo Perri.

We also offer specialised courses focused on visual communication and design:

Design Without: A Neville Brody Masterclass, June 10–12, in person led by professor Neville Brody,  a leading typographer and internationally recognised art director and brand strategist.

Typography, June 2–26, online led by Adrian Shaughnessy (graphic designer, writer, editor, publisher and former RCA tutor) in partnership with Astrid Stavro (Designer and President of International Society of Typographic Designers).

Introduction to Animation: Contexts and Process, June 1–18, online led by BAFTA  nominated and RCA tutor Bunny Schendler and developed by BAFTA nominated and head of Animation MA, Samantha Moore.

The Graphic Novel: Visual Storytelling, July 6–30, online: led by Professor Andrzej Klimowski and Miguel Angel Valdivia.