Students aged 14 - 17
Dukes Cambridge
Faculty of Art and Design
The Faculty of Art & Design at Cambridge introduces you to creative practice at university level, combining artistic exploration with critical thinking. This programme is for students who want to experiment with visual ideas, materials, and processes while also considering how art communicates meaning. You’ll develop your own creative voice through hands-on work and collaborative projects, while gaining insight into the role of art and design in contemporary culture.
Turn Inspiration into Impact
Art & Design at Cambridge gives you two weeks to explore how ideas move from sketch to finished work, and from individual thought to collective creation. You’ll work across different media — drawing, painting, sculpture, digital tools — and experiment with both traditional and modern approaches. Central to the programme is the group installation project, where you collaborate to plan, design, and build a large-scale piece that becomes part of the final showcase.
Alongside studio work, you’ll discuss the theory and history of art and design, learning how artists respond to social, cultural, and political contexts. These conversations help you place your own work within a wider framework, connecting practice to ideas.
Learning is highly interactive. You’ll share feedback in group critiques, adapt your work based on new insights, and see how collaboration can expand individual creativity. Tutors guide the process with expertise drawn from both academic study and professional practice.
Studying art and design at Cambridge equips you with practical skills, creative confidence, and the ability to think critically about visual culture. These abilities are valuable not only in the arts but also in fields such as architecture, media, communication, and design industries.
Art and Design
At a Glance
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Price
£4,895
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Ages
14-17
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English Level
All Levels
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Duration
2 weeks
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Academic Content
20 Hours Per Week
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Starting Dates
29th June, 13th July, 27th July 2026
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Language Support
Included
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Location
Cardiff Sixth Form College, St Andrew’s Cambridge, and Sancton Wood School in Cambridge
Download Our Academic Overview
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Art and Design
What's Included?
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Academic Content
20 hours of subject-specific academic content per week with an experienced subject tutor, delivered through interactive seminars and hands-on practical workshops
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Time to Shine
Opportunities to apply and share this knowledge with your peers through dynamic group projects, culminating in the end-of-the-week Time to Shine Ceremony
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Fieldwork
Fieldwork takes learning beyond the classroom and into the city. With a tutor to guide you, you’ll explore locations linked to your subject, carry out research on site and test ideas through practical experiments. These sessions connect theory with real-world settings, giving you a chance to see your subject in action while developing observational and analytical skills.
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Dedicated Academic Coaching
Dedicated academic coaching sessions designed to support you in applying for a UK university, whether that’s writing a personal statement or preparing for a presentation
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English Language Development
Numerous opportunities throughout your academic program to develop your English language skills, whether that’s building vocabulary to talk about your subject, or developing your speaking skills to present your Time To Shine project.
Our Approach to Your Learning
In the Faculty of Art & Design at our Cambridge Summer School, we emphasise creative practice alongside critical reflection. You’ll experiment with materials, processes, and ideas, developing visual work that communicates meaning and engages with contemporary themes. Studio sessions, group critiques, and project-based learning encourage you to move from concept to finished piece while thinking about how art connects to culture and society. With small classes, tutors are able to guide your individual progress, ensuring you gain both practical skills and a deeper understanding of the creative process.
Key Learning Oucomes
Understand Core Creative Principles
Gain knowledge of key concepts in art and design, such as composition, form, and process, and how these shape visual communication.
Apply Artistic Concepts to Practice
Experiment with materials and methods to turn ideas into finished pieces, showing how creative thinking connects with practical outcomes.
Strengthen Research and Reflective Skills
Investigate artistic influences, analyse examples from different contexts, and reflect critically on your own creative work.
Develop Communication and Collaboration Skills
Work with others to create, discuss, and present visual projects, enhancing your ability to explain and share creative ideas.
Course Objectives
This course provides a structured introduction to the principles of visual practice and design. By the end of the programme, you will have developed skills in generating ideas, experimenting with media, and producing work that reflects both creative thought and technical ability. The course also encourages you to connect artistic concepts to real-world contexts, preparing you to think critically about how visual work communicates in society. It is well-suited to students considering future study or careers in art, architecture, media, or related creative fields.
Module 1: Visual Foundations
Explore the basics of visual language through drawing, composition, and colour. You’ll experiment with techniques and materials while learning how these choices affect the impact of a piece of work.
Module 2: Design and Process
Focus on the development of ideas from concept to outcome. You’ll study design methods, plan projects, and practise problem-solving as you move through stages of creation.
Module 3: Art in Context
Consider how art connects with society, culture, and history. Through group discussion and project work, you’ll reflect on how artists respond to the world around them and how your own work communicates meaning.
In-Person Programme Benefits
Fieldwork
Academic Coaching
Certificate of Achievement & Reference Letter
Master Public Speaking & Presenting
Time to Shine gives every student the chance to practise public speaking in a structured setting. By researching, preparing and delivering a project to an audience, you build confidence in expressing ideas clearly and develop the ability to present with authority. It’s an opportunity to refine communication skills that are valuable for academic study, professional life and beyond.
Cambridge Challenge Lab
Enter the Challenge Lab. Test your ideas, build them out, and show what happens when solutions move from theory to practice.
The Publication Launch
Create a full magazine or newspaper as a team. Write, edit and design the content, then launch the finished edition at the Lab, distributing copies to the audience as part of the showcase.
Fieldwork Project
Groups collect textures, sounds, or visual patterns from the campus environment — leaves, architectural details, or fragments of colour — and incorporate them into their work. This exercise grounds the installation in its setting and highlights how artists often draw directly from their surroundings.
Faculty of Art and Design
Dates & Prices
Faculty of Art and Design FAQs
Do I need previous experience in art to join this programme?
No experience is required. The course introduces key techniques while also supporting students who already have some background in art or design.
What resources will I need for the programme?
Any specialist materials will be provided. You should bring standard study supplies such as pens, notebooks, and optionally a laptop or tablet.
Will there be practical activities in addition to classroom lessons?
Yes. Most of your time will be spent in studio-based practice, developing projects through drawing, making, and design tasks.
What skills will I develop by the end of the course?
You’ll gain stronger technical skills, learn to develop ideas into finished pieces, and practise explaining and presenting your creative work.
Unforgettable memories
With its good academic programme and friendly staff, we are very happy to be a member of SBC. My daughter returned with unforgettable memories from the course.
Evren, Turkey - Parent
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