Middle School Program
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 36 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL 60603
About
The Middle School Program includes time for students to draw, sculpt, model, mold, sew, and prototype unique toys, stuffed animals, and action figures. Participants work with perspective drawing, drafting, model making, and using digital software programs, and they learn principles of animation while exploring techniques such as stop-motion, frame-by-frame methods, digitally modified video, and computer-aided approaches. A typical day includes welcome and warm-up exercises with morning sketches, a morning check-in with demonstrations, several studio work periods, a snack break, lunch, time for research, reflection, and a mid-day critique, as well as a museum trip and studio time before checkout.
• Ages: 10–13 years old
• Schedule: Two-week on-campus summer courses, Monday–Friday from 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., with sessions offered June 29–July 10 (no class on July 3), July 13–24, and July 27–August 7
Courses in the Middle School Program are led by School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) faculty, who are described as renowned, as amazing mentors and teachers, and as having robust artistic practices. The program is part of SAIC, which is described as the nation’s premier art and design school and is ranked the #2 Fine Arts Program among art and design colleges by U.S. News & World Report. SAIC states that it understands self-expression, out-of-the-box thinking, and cultural awareness flourish when youth make art, and that students learn to explore, imagine, and discover in their own unique ways as they become creators, innovators, and problem-solvers of the future, regardless of where their academic interests lead. The Art Institute of Chicago museum is described as integral to students’ experiences and as an extension of the classroom, with frequent visits that supplement in-class projects, and SAIC notes that Chicago’s richness, complexity, and contradictions form the environment for its diverse community, including alumni who make work, open galleries and studios, and contribute to the city’s creative industries. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago will celebrate its 160th anniversary in 2026 and has been educating artists, designers, and scholars since 1866.
Last updated July 30, 2026.
• Ages: 10–13 years old
• Schedule: Two-week on-campus summer courses, Monday–Friday from 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., with sessions offered June 29–July 10 (no class on July 3), July 13–24, and July 27–August 7
Courses in the Middle School Program are led by School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) faculty, who are described as renowned, as amazing mentors and teachers, and as having robust artistic practices. The program is part of SAIC, which is described as the nation’s premier art and design school and is ranked the #2 Fine Arts Program among art and design colleges by U.S. News & World Report. SAIC states that it understands self-expression, out-of-the-box thinking, and cultural awareness flourish when youth make art, and that students learn to explore, imagine, and discover in their own unique ways as they become creators, innovators, and problem-solvers of the future, regardless of where their academic interests lead. The Art Institute of Chicago museum is described as integral to students’ experiences and as an extension of the classroom, with frequent visits that supplement in-class projects, and SAIC notes that Chicago’s richness, complexity, and contradictions form the environment for its diverse community, including alumni who make work, open galleries and studios, and contribute to the city’s creative industries. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago will celebrate its 160th anniversary in 2026 and has been educating artists, designers, and scholars since 1866.
Last updated July 30, 2026.
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