RISD Continuing Education Reaches Teen Artists Globally with Online Youth Programming

Year-round online programming for youth continues this summer with RISD’s pre-collegiate online certificate and new teen courses.

Since 2020, the development of effective and engaging online art and design programming for teens has been a focus of Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education (RISD CE). In addition to online courses and certificate programs for adults, RISD CE now offers two formats of online engagement specifically designed to meet the needs and goals of teen students across the globe.

Teen artists from anywhere in the world can now participate in courses taught by academics, creative practitioners, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who advance RISD CE’s mission to provide an art and design education for everyone! Students come with unique goals and are met by instructors who provide opportunities to expand their worldview and hone critical visual communication skills applicable to any career path.

RISD CE teen online courses allow students ages 13 to 17 to explore one or more visual arts and design subjects. They attend weekly live Zoom meetings, which foster connection and community building in the online space.

Our first live class had students pair up to draw blind contour portraits of each other while asking questions about who they were, where they lived, likes and dislikes. Afterwards, everyone shared their portraits and told us what they had learned about their drawing partner. The blind contour portraits got everyone laughing and created a class connection. It definitely set the tone for the rest of the session and I could see a marked improvement in student interaction.

Bunky Hurter, Fashion Illustration instructor

In addition to live Zoom meetings, students can expect to review asynchronous course materials, work on projects independently, and receive narrative assessments with personalized feedback.

Summer 2023 teen online courses are offered in two sessions from June 25 to August 5.

For high school students ages 15 to 18 looking for a more intensive experience, CE offers RISD’s Advanced Program Online, a year-round online alternative to its residential summer pre-college program. This certificate program is for changemakers who want to develop their art practice, learn new ways to collaborate, and experience the pursuit of art and design topics in depth. The Advanced Program Online allows students the opportunity to focus on a passion, reflect on contemporary circumstances, and create a future they’re excited about.

Summer 2023 Advanced Program Online courses are offered in two sessions from June 17 to August 13.

Artwork (top) by Advanced Program Online student Madison S. Original article published on Hyperallergic.