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Extracurriculars for a Career in Graphic Designer

26 high school activities and programs that build real experience toward a career in graphic designer.

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers · Multiple

Visual art submissions develop design sensibility, composition, and personal artistic voice valued in design careers.

Congressional Art Competition
The Congressional Institute · Multiple · In-Person

Students create original visual artwork across multiple mediums, directly building design and artistic composition skills.

High School Summer Art Intensive: Studio Practice
NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development · New York, NY · In-Person

Students create visual artwork using studio practices, materials, and technologies directly applicable to graphic design work.

River of Words
Saint Mary's College of California, Center for Environmental Literacy, Kalmanovitz School of Education · Moraga, CA · In-Person

Students create original visual artwork exploring environmental themes and place-based observation.

UConn Pre-College Summer
University of Connecticut · Storrs, CT · In-Person

Visual Arts coursework directly builds design and artistic composition skills.

Early College Program Online Summer Institute
School of the Art Institute of Chicago · Virtual · Virtual

Students build portfolios and develop design skills under acclaimed faculty guidance, directly preparing for graphic design careers.

Summer at Columbia
Columbia College Chicago · Chicago, IL · In-Person

Design courses taught by professional designers explore visual creativity and creative industry skills.

Interlochen Summer Arts Camp
Interlochen · Interlochen, Michigan · In-Person

Visual Arts programs develop foundational design and artistic skills under professional guidance.

National High School Game Academy
Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA · In-Person

2D and 3D art classes teach visual design skills essential to game development and digital design.

Day of AI Festival
Day of AI USA · Cambridge, MA · In-Person

Winning projects displayed at MIT Museum demonstrate visual art integration with AI technology.

Teen Studio
Art Students League of Denver · Denver, CO · In-Person

Students develop artistic skills and explore visual creation with professional guidance, foundational to design work.

Springboard to Design
Unknown

Students develop visual design skills and creative problem-solving directly applicable to graphic design work.

Youth Art Connection (YAC)
American Folk Art Museum · New York, NY · In-Person

Students create their own art and view museum exhibitions, building foundational visual design skills.

The Wooster Group Summer Institute
The Wooster Group · New York, NY · In-Person

Students explore lighting, sound, scenic, and costume design elements as part of their creative technical training.

Museum of Arts and Design Artslife
Museum of Arts and Design · New York City, NY · In-Person

Interns create artwork and design projects with artists and museum professionals.

Summer Academy – Global (Online)
Boston Architectural College · Virtual · Virtual

Students develop sketching, drawing, digital design, and presentation skills through individual and collaborative design projects.

Governor's School for the Arts
Governor's School for the Arts · Norfolk, VA · In-Person

Visual Arts department with professional gallery exhibitions develops artistic vision and visual design skills in conservatory-style study.

Animation Summer Program for High School Students
Interlochen Center for the Arts · Interlochen, MI · In-Person

Digital animation software and visual storytelling techniques directly support motion graphics and visual design work.

National Art Honor Society
National Art Education Association · Multiple · Hybrid

Members develop visual art skills and receive recognition through juried exhibitions and national awards.

Washington University Summer Programs for High School Students
Washington University in St. Louis · St. Louis, MO · In-Person

Portfolio Plus program includes Communication Design studio concentration with college-level art and design courses.

Indigenous Youth Media Workshop
Northern Arizona University School of Communication · Flagstaff, AZ · In-Person

Students learn visual design and content creation using professional design labs and tools.

National High School Design Challenge
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum · New York, NY · Hybrid

Students create sketches and visual designs to communicate ideas, core to graphic design practice.

Inspiring Girls Expeditions
Inspiring Girls Expeditions · Multiple · In-Person

Art component of expeditions builds visual composition and creative expression skills.

Norwich University of the Arts FREE Creative Summer Workshops
Norwich University of the Arts · Norwich, UK · Virtual

Workshop on advertising idea development and visual merchandising directly builds core graphic design competencies.

Art Academy of Cincinnati: Teen Academy
Art Academy of Cincinnati · Cincinnati, OH · In-Person

Students explore visual composition, color, texture, and design principles across painting, illustration, textile, and print courses.

Octavia Project: Summer Institute in Brooklyn
Octavia Project · Brooklyn, NY · In-Person

Students develop digital media and visual art skills while creating work for public showcase and publication.