About

To better serve our students and our mission, most of our Art School classes require a museum membership. JOIN AS A MEMBER to register!

Full details on Art School membership can be found here.

 
The Art School is located on the fourteen-acre Lake Austin site of historic Laguna Gloria, a natural setting conducive to the creation of art. Our studios have direct access to the outdoors, and we encourage you to explore the grounds while working on class projects. Our goal is to foster your creativity, enhance your visual awareness, and improve your technical skills in your chosen medium. Our small classes increase your interactions with our credentialed and talented faculty members.

Having recently celebrated our 50th anniversary, the Art School continues to strive to maintain the highest standards of educational excellence, offering you the added bonus of experiencing changing exhibitions at The Contemporary Austin's two locations.

There are so many ways to enjoy the Art School and our campus at the beautiful Laguna Gloria, so whether you are a beginning student, a serious amateur, or a returning artist, we invite you to enroll.

We have classes for ages four through adult.

Adult Classes: Weekdays, Evenings, and Weekends
Kids' Classes: Saturdays and Sundays, and Weeklong Classes in the Summer

Classes are offered in mediums including painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, Photoshop, collage, mosaics, watercolor, pastels, jewelry, glass, metal, and more! Classes start at various dates during the semester and registration is ongoing.

Scholarships

Students and families demonstrating financial need are eligible to apply for scholarships to the Art School. We award up to two scholarships per year per individual and a maximum of two scholarships per semester per household. Download the appropriate application at the link below. For additional assistance or inquiries, please contact the Art School office at 512 323 6380 or email us at artschool@thecontemporaryaustin.org. Applicants can expect to hear back in up to 4 weeks.

Printable: YOUTH (ages 4-13) Scholarship Application

Online: YOUTH (ages 4-13) Scholarship Application

Printable: TEEN (ages14-18) Scholarship Application

Online: TEEN (ages14-18) Scholarship Application

Printable: ADULT (ages 19+) Scholarship Application

Online: ADULT (ages 19+) Scholarship Application

Deadline: Art School scholarship applications are accepted December 1 - February 1 for Spring; March 1 - July 1 for Summer; and August 1 - October 1 for Fall. Please allow up to one month for us to process scholarship applications.

Eligibility: The Contemporary Austin Art School uses the Income Limits for the Austin - Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as defined by Travis County to determine scholarship eligibility. Income that qualifies as very low, low or below moderate qualifies for a scholarship that covers up to 100% of tuition costs. Individual circumstances are considered on a case-by-case basis and may be taken into account in determining eligibility.

You, too, can make a difference in the lives of students in need by supporting Art School scholarships—make your gift to the Education Fund today!

Art School Scholarships sponsored by The Berman Family

Volunteering & Internships

The Art School is now accepting Spring 2024 Volunteer Applications. Our spring children's classes will take place on Saturdays in the morning (9am-12pm) and afternoon (1pm-4pm) January through May 2024, as well as Spring Break week (Monday - Friday)!

Here are the dates for our kids' class sessions:
January 6 - January 27 (Saturdays)
February 3 - February 24 (Saturdays)
SPRING BREAK March 11-15 (Monday-Friday)
March 16 - April 6 (Saturdays)
April 13 - May 4 (Saturdays)

*Please make sure you are available every Saturday before signing up to volunteer.

Teen Volunteer Application Form

Adult Volunteer Application Form

Parking

All students and visitors of The Contemporary Austin are invited to park along West 35th St. Art School students may park on-site for evening classes from 5:30P on if there are no other events taking priority. We recommend arriving early to ensure ample time for parking and walking to get to class on time. Do not leave any valuables in your car.

*If you require any parking accommodation, please feel free to reach out to the Art School office via phone call or email for assistance.

Teaching

The Art School is always looking for excellent teachers with exciting new course ideas. We take pride in the high quality of our instruction and the student-centered learning environment offered here at the Art School. Please review our website to become familiar with the subjects we currently offer.

Faculty Requirements:

• BA or MFA in studio art, art education, or relevant teaching subject
• Minimum of 2 years' teaching experience
• Teaching certification preferred for children and teen instructors (but relevant experience may be substituted)
• Demonstrated expertise in teaching field
• High level of quality in personal artwork
• High level of personal motivation and dependability
• Ability to work independently
• Punctuality
• Skilled in organizing subject material in incremental steps designed for beginners, or whatever skill level the class encompasses
• Ability to nurture, encourage, and support the creativity of children and/or adult students

Contact

To reach the Art School staff:
Phone: 512 323 6380
E-mail: artschool@thecontemporaryaustin.org

Art School Staff
Director: Ariel Spiegelman
Accounts and Administration Manager: Rigo Guerrero
Senior Manager of Studio Affairs: Alissa Neal
Ceramics Program Manager: James Tisdale
Admin and Studio Assistant: Bekah Latham

Mailing Address:
The Art School at Laguna Gloria
3809 West 35th Street
Austin, TX 78703