Last Updated on October 1, 2026
Quick answer: The best humanities and arts summer programs give high school students serious training in writing, journalism, visual arts, design, theatre, dance, film, or music. Selective options include the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, Juilliard Summer Dance Intensive, RISD Pre-College, and BUTI. Many require a portfolio, writing sample, or audition, so start preparing early.
The Best Humanities and Arts Summer Programs
If you’re a high schooler talented in theatre, dance, studio art, music, filmmaking, or writing, you might be wondering about the best way to convey your interest when you apply to your top-choice colleges. In order to showcase your dedication and hone your skills, consider applying to one of the top humanities and arts summer programs available for high school students.
Although a lot of different topics can fall under the umbrella, we’ve summarized for you arts summer programs that primarily support students involved in writing, design, visual arts, drama, music, theatre, and dance. Some of these art programs might cover even more niche fields – for example, the New York University Tisch Summer Program has a concentration in Game Design!
We’ve compiled a list of humanities and arts summer programs organized by respected institutions that can add depth to the activities section of your college applications. [1] Without further ado, let’s take a look at some top selections, what they offer, and how they can help your profile. For a broader view of how colleges read these experiences, see how admissions officers really view summer plans.
Top Humanities and Arts Summer Programs
Iowa Young Writers’ Studio
As an aspiring writer, you might have heard about the Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa. While you can’t apply to the prestigious workshop until graduate school, the university does host a summer program for young writers, known as the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio. [2] This two-week-long creative writing experience for high schoolers provides an environment to hone their craft through seminars and workshops. After choosing a single core course in poetry, fiction, creative writing, playwriting, or TV writing, you will attend courses that encourage you to improve your writing skills through peer-edits, writing exercises and activities, different approaches to writing, and constructive criticism from mentors.
Interlochen Arts Camp
If you’re already highly talented and looking for arts summer programs that can enable you to grow in your area of expertise, Interlochen Arts Camp in northern Michigan offers instruction in seven arts areas: creative writing, dance, film and new media, interdisciplinary arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. [3] Areas of study include:
- Music
- Creative Writing
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Dance
- Film and New Media
- Theatre
- Visual Arts
These are just broad categories covering the specific and unique courses Interlochen offers. High school students can choose three-week or six-week sessions, and students in grades 9 through 12 can also take one-week intensives. All of the programs within Interlochen encourage the creation of original work as final projects. Within your niche selection, you’ll not only have the opportunity to learn from professional artists and instructors, but also to collaborate with other like-minded students and create art together.
Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute
The Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute is a journalism camp that allows rising seniors to gain hands-on experience in writing, reporting, and editing for print and digital broadcasting. Especially if you’re hoping to apply to a top journalism program – participation in Medill’s program would look excellent on your profile. As part of this five-week summer institute, you’ll meet aspiring journalists from all over the world and partake in a variety of journalistic initiatives, from conducting interviews to working on stories about trending topics. You’ll also connect with industry professionals, Medill students, and faculty members. [4] The program is known as the “cherub” program, and it gives you a realistic look at how professional journalism works today.
Juilliard Summer Dance Intensive
If you’ve trained intensively in ballet, want to refine your technique, and get more experience in performance, apply to the Juilliard Summer Dance Intensive, which is open to dancers in grades 9 through 11 and admits students by video audition. [5] This three-week long experience is designed to give dancers an understanding of studying dance at Juilliard, what life might be like being as a dancer in New York City, and the opportunity to pick up new choreography from professional dancers daily. Students take classes in ballet, pointe, partnering, and modern, along with yoga, hip-hop, and improvisation, and perform new choreography in a final showing on the last day. While you must have prior ballet training to get admitted, practice in modern dance isn’t required (but is an added bonus).
Columbia Scholastic Press Association Summer Journalism Workshop
The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Summer Journalism Workshop is for high school students who want to build reporting, leadership, and multimedia skills. [6] If you’re interested in the journalism end of arts summer programs, you can choose a one-week in-person session at Columbia in New York City or a one-week virtual session. Previous classes have included news reporting and writing, advanced news reporting, broadcast journalism, digital media, and editorial leadership. It is a good fit if you work on a school newspaper, yearbook, or broadcast team and want skills you can bring back to your publication.
RISD Pre-College
If you’re looking for a visual arts summer program, the Rhode Island School of Design offers a five-week pre-college experience for young artists, with an on-campus option and an online option. [7] You might be planning to apply to a top arts school such as RISD, and attending this camp can give you an idea of what your college experience would be like. You’ll have the opportunity to follow a college-style curriculum with day-long studio classes. You might find yourself getting to take advantage of RISD’s resources such as the Nature Lab and the RISD Museum. At the program, you’ll be able to experiment with new materials, tools and techniques, learn from award-winning mentors, and create final projects that you can then use for college application portfolios.
UC Berkeley embARC Summer Design Academy
EmbARC is a four-week long program hosted by UC Berkeley’s School of Environmental Design. If you’re looking for arts summer programs that are design-centric or centered around environmental studies, this could be a suitable option for you. Students at EmBARC study urban design, architecture, and sustainable city components. The academy is built around project-based learning, and you can attend as a residential or commuter student.
New York University Tisch Summer Program
NYU’s Tisch School of Arts offers students in search of arts summer programs with an array of options at this four-week-long camp, where participants can choose to focus in Animation or in one of the following concentrations:
- Dance
- Drama
- Drama: Production & Design
- Dramatic Writing
- Filmmaking
- Game Design
- Photography and Imaging
- Recorded Music
The residential program runs on a highly structured class schedule and earns four to six college credits. To complete the program, you have to turn in all of the intensive assigned coursework and professional training requirements for your chosen track. For example, if you’re concentrating in dramatic writing, you will have to present your work to your peers, which is then reviewed and critiqued by the rest of the workshop members. You’ll have the opportunity to stay in an NYU residence hall and get a glimpse of what college might be like if you plan to attend art school in the Big Apple. At the end of the program you will have a chance to showcase your work – your play, video game, choreography – depending on your track.
Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI)
If you’re looking for the musical side of things when it comes to arts summer programs, Boston University offers the chance to study with accomplished faculty and visiting artists at BUTI in the Berkshires. Depending on your instrument, you can attend programs ranging in duration from two to six weeks:
Two-week long workshops in the following instruments:
- Flute
- Oboe
- Clarinet
- Bassoon
- Saxophone
- Trumpet
- Horn
- Trombone
- Tuba & Euphonium
- Percussion
- Violin
- Viola
- Cello
- Double Bass
- String Quartet
- Electroacoustic Composition
More Intensive Programs in the following:
- Orchestra (6 weeks)
- Voice (6 weeks)
- Composition (6 weeks)
- Harp (6 weeks)
- Wind Ensemble (6 weeks)
- Piano (6 weeks)
- Classical Guitar Workshop (2 weeks)
While at the program, you’ll get to experience a unique community of musicians – both peers and professionals – all in the same setting. In order to gain acceptance at Tanglewood, you have to nail an audition. You can select several programs on the same instrument in one application, but a different instrument or program area requires a separate application. [8]
Once you’ve pinpointed your top-choice arts summer programs, make sure you act in a timely manner to get all of your applications prepared in time. Check whether your selections require an audition or a portfolio and prepare them in advance. If you are a visual artist, our guide to building a college art portfolio can help, and our list of summer programs that count covers options beyond the arts. Your talent in art, music, or writing will only improve the more you practice, and participation in one of these top programs can certainly help you demonstrate your talent to colleges.
Applying to Top Humanities Summer Programs?
Our team can help you identify the best-fit humanities summer programs, refine your portfolio or writing samples, and position your application for success.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Get a clear, honest read on which path actually fits your goals, and the specific next steps to build a competitive application. Click here to book your complimentary consultation.