Center for Art, Design, and Community Engagement K-12

The mission of Pratt’s Center for Art, Design, and Community Engagement K-12 is to increase access to instruction in art and design for children by leveraging the resources and expertise of the Institute to support school-age children, city-wide public schools, and youth-serving organizations.

Taught by our expert faculty and students our on-campus and in-school programs develop children and young peoples' knowledge in the creative disciplines (art, design, architecture, and related fields) through hands-on studio-based learning. Our programs are carefully designed and structured to support creativity and innovation, and problem-solving and collaboration.

All programs offer undergraduate and graduate students studying art, design, architecture, and related fields opportunities in community-based education in their major while simultaneously bringing art and design classes to the K-12 community.

Fall 2021 Update

This fall, some classes for youth ages 12-18 will be available in-person and many others will be offered online. Our decision is guided by our commitment to the highest quality education and the health and safety of our community. The Saturday Art School and Pratt Young Scholars programs continue to validate our belief that opportunities to learn art and design should be available to all ages, whether online or in-person, allowing opportunities for beginners to learn and serious art students to thrive. Our online studio-based program is delivered using a synchronous and asynchronous approach, which includes live demonstrations, structured in-class work time, and one-on-one virtual instruction. All programs have been carefully designed for completion at home. 

Our On-Campus Programs

Saturday Art School

Since 1897, Saturday Art School has offered a broad range of classes for children and teens. Students are encour­aged to explore a variety of media, techniques, and approaches. [ages 6-18]

Design Initiative for Community Empowerment (DICE)

An after-school program that introduces students to the challenges of creative thinking and problem-solving Design Initiative for Community Empowerment (DICE) offers studio classes in which students explore design disciplines such as fashion design, construction management, and architecture and urban design. [grades 9-12]

Pratt Young Scholars

Pratt Young Scholars is a need-based, three-year scholarship program that provides art and design instruction and college preparation for motivated high school students. [grades 10-12]

Summer Scholars

Summer Scholars is a two-week summer intensive program of studio classes and college preparatory classes for high school students, and high school application portfolio preparation classes for middle schoolers entering 7th or 8th grade. Classes take place online in July. [grades 7-12]  

Pratt’s K–12 programs are generously supported by the Con Edison Company of New York, Inc., Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Sara Little Turnbull Foundation, Walter K. Hoerning Endowment Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, The Altman Foundation, The Hearst Foundations, The Pinkerton Foundation, The Selz Foundation, Turrell Fund, The Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund of the New York Community Trust, The Irma Holland Wolstein Endowed Scholarship Fund, individual donors, and Pratt Institute.

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  DICE Student - Age 16

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  Pratt Young Scholar Student - Age 15

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  Pratt Young Scholar Student - Age 16

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  Pratt Young Scholar Student - Age 16

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  Pratt Young Scholar Student - Age 16

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  Pratt Young Scholar Student/DICE - Age 15

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  Pratt Young Scholar Student/DICE - Age 16

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  Pratt Young Scholar Student/DICE - Age 16

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  Pratt Young Scholar Student/DICE - Age 16

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  Pratt Young Scholar Student/DICE - Age 17

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  Pratt Young Scholar Student/DICE - Age 17

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  Saturday Art School Student - Age 12

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  Saturday Art School Student - Age 13

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  Saturday Art School Student - Age 15

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  Saturday Art School Student - Age 8