The Art Students League was founded in 1875 by a group of art students who hoped to escape the Academy by founding a member-run art school designed for and run by independent artists. For nearly 150 years, the Art Students League has been a haven for countless artists, who use the freedom it affords them to explore diverse artistic practices, methodologies, and mediums while developing a mastery of traditional techniques.
An antidote to conservative academic traditions, the Art Students League is one of the most historically significant and influential art schools in the world, and our alumni have helped to define America's prominence on the international art scene. From pioneering visionaries to contemporary masters, the community of artists who have studied at the League is a testament to the transformative power of our unique atelier-style system.
The League offers month-to-month classes and short-term workshops with flexible enrollment that is open year-round. Students may choose to attend classes on their own schedule, or adopt a more formalized experience, by enrolling in the League’s Certificate Track—a prescribed, intensive, two- or four-year course of study that is tailored to help you meet your professional artistic goals.
Students who successfully complete the League's Certificate Track receive a Certificate of Fine Art, an industry-recognized certification that represents the student’s expertise in traditional techniques.
The League's atelier-style system allows students to follow their own path within our diverse community, developing the skills and techniques needed to become a successful artist on their own schedule.