Studio Art in Florence
The new studio art in Florence program emphasizes the relationship between creative practices, contemporary discourses, and historical context. Through technical and conceptual research across disciplines, students develop a complex visual language capable of addressing broader cultural, political, social concerns. Students are encouraged to explore various research methodologies, learning from the past to explore the questions of our time. A diverse faculty and student body create a vibrant learning environment.
Studio courses take place in the iconic Studio Arts College International (SACI) campus, two historical palazzi in the heart of Florence. Curriculum is designed in collaboration with the school of record Paris College of Art, an international college enrolling students from more than 40 countries.
Spring 2026 Course Offerings
Advanced Painting
This course is designed for advanced students and explores painting as both an embodied experience and a critical practice. Using Florence as an ongoing source of visual, conceptual, and historical inspiration, students develop their work within the layered context of a city that bridges tradition and innovation. Painting is approached as a process of layering — ideas, techniques, and perspectives — where past and present intersect to inform the creation of new visual languages.
Through the introduction of diverse research methods and painting techniques, students expand upon various modes of perception and translation, addressing questions of context and multiple points of view. Painting becomes a way of thinking, gathering, and note-taking, stimulating the formulation of visual responses and projects in dialogue with current trends in painting practice.
Advanced Drawing
This course is designed for advanced students and explores the practice of drawing as both a moment and a process, as an act and an object. Drawing in the continuous present activates the immediacy of drawing as a way of navigating the circularity of time, looking to the past to inform the present and to imagine the future. Through the introduction of diverse research methods and drawing techniques, students utilize Florence as a site for visual, conceptual, and historical inspiration. They expand upon various modes of perception and translation, addressing questions of context and multiple points of view. Drawing becomes a way of thinking, gathering, and note-taking, stimulating the formulation of visual responses and projects in dialogue with current trends in drawing practice.
All students are required to take an Italian language course (3 credits)
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
All students will enroll in the following courses:
- Advanced Painting Studio (3 credits)
- Advanced Drawing Studio (3 credits)
Prerequisites of at least four semesters of 2D or 3D art studios
- History of Design in Italy (3 Credits)
- Italian Language (3 credits)
No prerequisites
In addition to the above courses, students requiring 15 credits may enroll in a third studio from the following list (3 credits):
- SACI: Photography Studio
- SACI : Graphic Design Studio
SACI: Photography Studio
SACI: Photography Studio. The course serves as a critical and technical exploration of the language and theory of photography. Students will further develop their individual photographic statements while placing their work within conceptual and historical contexts. Students will produce a body of photographic work, a written component contextualizing the images, and culminating in an exhibition in the SACI gallery space. Artists working in other mediums, such as video, sculpture, painting, and installation, will be examined alongside Italian photographers. Students will use Florence as a point of inspiration for a piece of work which will encourage them to consider and articulate the impact of studying in Florence on their own work.
SACI: Graphic Design Studio
SACI: Graphic Design Studio. The course will be taught through a series of individual and group seminars. Workshops, gallery visits, and interaction with visiting resident artists and contemporary Florentine artists, will help students to situate their own practice within the contemporary art context.
Students will explore the fundamentals of graphic design techniques and skills to develop a visual communication language to present concepts and ideas. The course will include formal graphic design principles including color, balance, negative space, etc. and students will complete short exercises to demonstrate their understanding. With practical projects and exercises, students will delve into image and composition creation, web layout design, and graphic illustration and enhancement.
The course will examine the role of graphic design in creating social media content, how design principles are exploited and to what effect. Through formal analysis students will develop skills to assess the effectiveness of design content, to assess what performs well and what fails to be successful.
Program At A Glance
Program Fee and Inclusions
Program Price: Spring $19,200
- 12 or 15 course credits
- Transferable college credit offered through Paris College of Art (PCA) – accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and candidate for accreditation by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Please verify if your home institution requires regional accreditation for credit transfer.
- Housing: shared apartments or family homestay
- Art and Design focused guided day excursions outside Florence to sites such as Milan, Prato and Bologna, or similar
- Welcome and farewell meals, and cultural activities such as a cooking class, guided walking tours throughout Florence, and museum visits
- 24-hour emergency and mental health counseling support
- Medical Insurance (for students matriculated at U.S. university)
- Pre-departure and overseas orientation program
- Overseas information and resource center with Florence on-site staff
Program Highlights
- Small class sizes, with faculty who lead frequent visits and tours outside the classroom
- Faculty with extensive research and field experience in their area, many of whom are practicing artists and designers
- Public lecture series with local and international artists
- Focused visits to museums, archives, neighborhood tours, and on-site lectures
- Workshops with international resident artists
Student Housing
Students choose between two housing options: shared apartments or homestay. In shared apartments, students live in double or triple rooms within apartments hosting 4-7 other international students. Each apartment is equipped with a kitchen and bathroom. Students also have the choice of living with a Italian family in a homestay. This is a unique opportunity to immerse in Italian language and culture. Homestay placements include four weekly dinners and daily breakfast.
Program Timetable
Calendar – Spring 2026
- Pre-departure academic orientation: early November
- Departure from U.S.: January 6
- Arrival in Florence: January 7
- Overseas orientation – health, safety, housing: January 8
- Academic orientation: January 9
- Classes begin: January 10
- Final exams and critiques: April 20-24
- Program ends: April 25