Adult In-Person Courses

Locations in Providence, Barrington, and Westerly, Rhode Island

We offer in-person adult classes in a variety of art and design subjects. These courses provide a wonderful opportunity for our local community members to seek enrichment. Whether you prefer in-person or online classes, we’re ready to meet your learning needs in the semesters ahead.

While most CE courses are hosted at the RISD Campus in Providence, we now offer additional courses at the Westerly Education Center and at RISD’s waterfront campus Tillinghast Place, in Barrington.

Fall 2026 class schedule

July 28: Registration opens
*Check course listing for dates/times. Registration closes two business days before class start date.

August 18: Scholarship application deadline

September 7: Labor Day (office closed)

September 12–October 25: Session I: Adult in-person

October 12: Indigenous Peoples’ Day (office closed)

October 31–December 17: Session II: Adult in-person

November 17: Winter registration opens

November 26: Thanksgiving (office closed Nov 26–29)

Plan your year: View Our Calendar for Important Dates

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Weekend Workshops were a wonderful success for Summer 2026.

Our one- and two-day courses introduced hands-on skills, and allowed creative exploration in just one weekend.
Future workshops will be announced! Join our email list to receive program updates.

Students painting with acrylics in a studio classroom.

Fall Registration Now Open

Before registering, review important adult in-person course information.

BROWSE COURSES

Locations

Adult in-person courses are held in locations in Providence, Barrington and Westerly Rhode Island. Check course listings for locations, or use the links below to filter classes by location.

Classes might take place in a location accessible only by stairs. If you require an accessibility accommodation, contact RISD Disability Support Services at disabilitysupportservices@risd.edu as early as possible prior to the start of the course.

People walk across a pedestrian bridge adjacent to the RISD campus in Providence.

RISD Main Campus

PROVIDENCE, RI

Experience hands-on learning in RISD’s flagship studios on Providence’s College Hill. You’ll also have access to resources such as the Nature Lab, RISD Museum and Fleet Library.

Accessible by car and public transportation.

RISD CAMPUS COURSES

Tillinghast Place

BARRINGTON, RI

Tillinghast Place, RISD’s site on Narragansett Bay, provides a picturesque natural environment for artmaking.

Free, convenient parking.

TILLINGHAST PLACE COURSES

Westerly Education Center

WESTERLY, RI

Students in southern Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut can take advantage of RISD CE courses offered at the Westerly Education Center.

Free, convenient parking and accessible by train.

WESTERLY EDUCATION CENTER COURSES

Student Voices: In-Person Courses

“There’s no such thing as a bad drawing.” Leo Selvaggio, a student in RISD CE’s Starting a Sketchbook: Techniques and Practice, shares how he gave himself permission to be free and draw what comes to mind.

Ellie Parsons, a student in RISD CE’s spring in-person Starting a Sketchbook: Techniques and Practice, reveals how keeping a sketchbook has sparked a new confidence in her drawing abilities.

Classroom experience

Each course meets weekly for one session and is led by one instructor plus in some cases, a teaching assistant. Our instructors are amazing teachers with successful art practices. Classes are designed to have a beginner or multi-level focus, and students receive feedback throughout each class session.

Courses that include figure drawing use anatomical images of the human figure. These images portray nude bodies to build an understanding of kinesthetics and anatomy of the human form. Some courses may involve figure drawing sessions that feature a nude or lightly clothed model. Figure drawing sessions typically last a few hours, with a mix of short and long poses. Photography of models is not permitted.

Questions

If you have any questions about whether an in-person course is right for you, contact RISD CE: risdce@risd.edu or 401 454-6200.

Important adult in-person course information

RISD Continuing Education policies

Adult in-person courses are for enrichment purposes. Courses with low enrollment may be canceled, so we discourage moving to the area or seeking long-term lodging for the sole purpose of taking a course. RISD CE is not responsible for travel or lodging expenses that may be incurred in advance.

Refer to our Policies page for a complete list of RISD CE’s policies, including our drop/withdrawal and refund policy.

Studio access

Students are only able to access classroom/studio space during designated class time. There is no studio access outside of scheduled class time, and there is no access to lockers or storage. Learn about on-campus and virtual academic resources (The RISD Museum, Nature Lab, Library, etc).

Parking

RISD Main Campus
Continuing Education students are welcome to park in RISD parking lots weekdays after 6 pm and weekends without a permit. Parking permits will not be issued to Continuing Education students. Parking is not enforced in RISD lots in the evening unless someone is blocking an entrance, illegally parking in a handicapped spot or otherwise impeding access. For on-street parking spots, adhere to city rules, even in RISD designated parking spots! See Visiting Campus for a RISD parking map.

Additional metered and timed parking for visitors is available along Benefit Street, North/South Main Street or at various Metropark locations nearby. Metropark provides guest parking at the SoMain lot located at the corner of Power and South Water Street and at the 199 Canal Street lot.

Handicapped parking: Any member or guest of the RISD community with a state-issued handicapped parking placard or license plate is allowed to park in designated handicapped parking spaces in various RISD parking lots. Handicapped spaces in campus lots are covered by city and state parking regulations. Illegally parking in handicapped spaces will result in immediate ticketing and towing.

Tillinghast Place
Free, convenient parking is available in the lot adjacent to our classrooms. Enrolled students will be provided with a PIN code to enter at the gate prior to the start of your course.

Westerly Education Center
Free parking is provided for guests of the center (Parking and Directions).

Attendance

Our attendance policy requires you to attend all classes on time. Absences and tardiness are recorded on your student record and are taken into account by instructors when determining grades. If you must be absent, late or leave early, inform your instructor via Canvas. Each week, assignment pages will be available in Canvas. You can refer to them if you miss a class. Instructors are not available for meetings outside of class time and do not offer office hours.

Certificates and online courses

We currently offer individual, standalone in-person courses. These in-person courses can only be used to fulfill certificate electives. All required certificate courses will continue to be offered online only. In-person courses cannot substitute for required certificate courses. If you choose an in-person course as your elective(s), the total program cost may vary.

Courses taught online and in person will have different content, but there will sometimes be overlap in subject area or difficulty level. By offering both formats, we aim to accommodate students’ various learning styles, schedules and needs for flexibility.

Emergency contact information and campus safety

All CE students are required to have emergency contact information included on their student profile. Students will not be able to participate in their class unless this is complete.

Refer to our personal safety recommendations on the Campus Resources page.

RISD Public Safety and emergency response protocol

RISD Main Campus

RISD Public Safety is staffed 24 hours a day and is the office to call for all emergencies. From RISD phones, dial ext. 6666 or, from the outdoor blue emergency phones, pick up the receiver to be connected to Public Safety. In an emergency on campus, a call to 401 454-6666 initiates a faster response than a call to 911. In an emergency off campus only, dial 911. Public Safety’s non-emergency phone number is 401 454-6376.

30 Waterman Street, Providence, RI
Emergency Services: 401 454-6666
Non-Emergency Line: 401 454-6376

RISDAlerts

Students may opt in to RISD’s emergency text notification system by texting “RISDALERT” to 226787. Visit risd.edu/emergency for more information about RISDAlerts and emergency policies and procedures, as well as real-time updates in the event of a campus emergency

RISD Satellite Locations

In an emergency situation at a RISD satellite campus (including Tillinghast Place and Westerly Education Center), call 911 and follow any emergency instructions as posted in the location.

Title IX

RISD complies with all applicable state and federal statutes, including Title IX of the federal Higher Education Amendment of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex under any education program or activity receiving federal financial aid. Sexual assault and sexual harassment are forms of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX. For more information, refer to Title IX at RISD.