Studio Art in Florence
The new studio art in Florence program emphasizes the relationship between creative practices, contemporary discourses, and historical context. Through technical and conceptual research across disciplines, students develop a complex visual language capable of addressing broader cultural, political, social concerns. Students are encouraged to explore various research methodologies, learning from the past to explore the questions of our time. A diverse faculty and student body create a vibrant learning environment.
Studio courses take place in the iconic Studio Arts College International (SACI) campus, two historical palazzi in the heart of Florence. Curriculum is designed in collaboration with the school of record Paris College of Art, an international college enrolling students from more than 40 countries.
Academics
The art and design program is designed to provide students with a stimulating and supportive context within which they will be challenged to expand their thinking as artists and designers. The strong emphasis on the relationship between creative practice, contemporary discourses, and historical context creates a platform through which students will engage with broader cultural, political, social, material, and aesthetic issues in contemporary art and design. They join the lineage of artists and designers who, for centuries, have come to Florence, to learn from those who have come before them, drawing from the past, recording the present and imagining the future.
History of Design and Italian language courses help ground students in an informed exploration of both historical and contemporary design. They are encouraged to embrace the city as a classroom, with studio and academic work extending beyond the walls of the study centers into the city’s streets and squares, museums, galleries and art community.
Faculty are active practitioners in their own fields of art and design and strive to create an interdisciplinary dialogue with courses in continuous evolution to create a vibrant learning environment and interpersonal understanding.
Fall 2025 Course Offerings
Advanced Painting
This course is designed for advanced students and explores painting as both an embodied experience and a critical practice. Using Florence as an ongoing source of visual, conceptual, and historical inspiration, students develop their work within the layered context of a city that bridges tradition and innovation. Painting is approached as a process of layering — ideas, techniques, and perspectives — where past and present intersect to inform the creation of new visual languages.
Through the introduction of diverse research methods and painting techniques, students expand upon various modes of perception and translation, addressing questions of context and multiple points of view. Painting becomes a way of thinking, gathering, and note-taking, stimulating the formulation of visual responses and projects in dialogue with current trends in painting practice.
Advanced Drawing
This course is designed for advanced students and explores the practice of drawing as both a moment and a process, as an act and an object. Drawing in the continuous present activates the immediacy of drawing as a way of navigating the circularity of time, looking to the past to inform the present and to imagine the future. Through the introduction of diverse research methods and drawing techniques, students utilize Florence as a site for visual, conceptual, and historical inspiration. They expand upon various modes of perception and translation, addressing questions of context and multiple points of view. Drawing becomes a way of thinking, gathering, and note-taking, stimulating the formulation of visual responses and projects in dialogue with current trends in drawing practice.
All students are required to take an Italian language course (3 credits)
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
All students will enroll in the following courses:
- Advanced Painting Studio (3 credits)
- Advanced Drawing Studio (3 credits)
Prerequisites of at least four semesters of 2D or 3D art studios
- History of Design in Italy (3 Credits)
- Italian Language (3 credits)
No prerequisites
In addition to the above courses, students requiring 15 credits may enroll in a second studio from the following list (3 credits):
- SACI: Photography Studio
- SACI : Graphic Design Studio
SACI: Photography Studio. The course serves as a critical and technical exploration of the language and theory of photography. Students will further develop their individual photographic statements while placing their work within conceptual and historical contexts. Students will produce a body of photographic work, a written component contextualizing the images, and culminating in an exhibition in the SACI gallery space. Artists working in other mediums, such as video, sculpture, painting, and installation, will be examined alongside Italian photographers. Students will use Florence as a point of inspiration for a piece of work which will encourage them to consider and articulate the impact of studying in Florence on their own work.
SACI: Graphic Design Studio. The course will be taught through a series of individual and group seminars. Workshops, gallery visits, and interaction with visiting resident artists and contemporary Florentine artists, will help students to situate their own practice within the contemporary art context.
Students will explore the fundamentals of graphic design techniques and skills to develop a visual communication language to present concepts and ideas. The course will include formal graphic design principles including color, balance, negative space, etc. and students will complete short exercises to demonstrate their understanding. With practical projects and exercises, students will delve into image and composition creation, web layout design, and graphic illustration and enhancement.
The course will examine the role of graphic design in creating social media content, how design principles are exploited and to what effect. Through formal analysis students will develop skills to assess the effectiveness of design content, to assess what performs well and what fails to be successful.
Program At A Glance
- Program Price: Fall $19,900
- 12 or 15 course credits
- Transferable college credit offered through Paris College of Art (PCA) – accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and candidate for accreditation by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Please verify if your home institution requires regional accreditation for credit transfer.
- Housing: shared apartments or family homestay
- Art and Design focused guided day excursions outside Florence to sites such as Milan, Prato and Bologna, or similar
- Welcome and farewell meals, and cultural activities such as a cooking class, guided walking tours throughout Florence, and museum visits
- 24-hour emergency and mental health counseling support
- Medical Insurance (for students matriculated at U.S. university)
- Pre-departure and overseas orientation program
- Overseas information and resource center with Florence on-site staff
- Small class sizes, with faculty who lead frequent visits and tours outside the classroom
- Faculty with extensive research and field experience in their area, many of whom are practicing artists and designers
- Public lecture series with local and international artists
- Focused visits to museums, archives, neighborhood tours, and on-site lectures
- Workshops with international resident artists
Students choose between two housing options: shared apartments or homestay. In shared apartments, students live in double or triple rooms within apartments hosting 4-7 other international students. Each apartment is equipped with a kitchen and bathroom. Students also have the choice of living with a Italian family in a homestay. This is a unique opportunity to immerse in Italian language and culture. Homestay placements include four weekly dinners and daily breakfast.
- Calendar - Fall 2025
- Pre-departure academic orientation: late June
- Departure from U.S.: August 26
- Arrival in Florence: August 27
- Overseas orientation – health, safety, housing: August 28
- Academic orientation: August 29
- Classes begin: September 1
- Final exams and critiques: December 8-11
- Program ends: December 12
Program Policies
There are several ways to make your way to Florence!
To apply students must be at least 18 years of age. Depending on where you are currently matriculated, here is what you need to know.
U.S. based institutions
If you are matriculated with a U.S. college or university, you will need to make sure that your school will accept credits earned and submit a form signed by your academic advisor confirming that you are approved to participate in the program.
International Students
If you are not currently matriculated in a U.S. college or university, you must submit documentation proving that you are matriculated at an institution of higher education. It is your responsibility to ensure that your home institution will accept the credits earned.
Advanced Studios
To qualify for the more advanced studio courses you must demonstrate that you meet the pre-requisites by submitting a transcript listing previous relevant course work.
Students who did not complete high school in English, or are not currently enrolled in an institution of higher education where English is the primary language of instruction, are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge test scores. Minimum scores are as follows:
TOEFL minimum score: 92
IELTS minimum score: 6.5 band score
Cambridge minimum score 175 or B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficient exam
For all English exams, students are required to submit an unofficial copy of scores with their application, and also request that your official score be sent directly to Paris College of Art. Scores may be submitted at any point before or during the application process. The program reserves the right to request English testing on a case-by-case basis regardless of a student’s academic record if they have hesitations about the student’s language proficiency.
Students are responsible for determining visa requirements and processing their student visa and any expenses incurred. Accent Global Learning will provide necessary letters of admission and housing but any program payments are non-refundable, following published payment and cancellation timelines, even if visa is not issued.
Admitted students will be required to prove insurance before enrolling, following these parameters:
- Students matriculated at U.S. university will be issued a GEO Blue insurance policy through Accent Global Learning
- Students with EU citizenship access national healthcare in Italy and are not required to provide advanced proof of health insurance
- Students not covered by one of the above categories are required to provide proof of health insurance policy that covers the entire length of the program
Application Procedure and Requirements
Rolling admissions open today. Apply by March 22, 2025 (Fall) including payment of the $50 application fee.
Complete the Program Inquiry Form and within two business days you will receive an email with access to the application portal. On the portal you will:
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Submit a Portfolio of 10-15 recent works showing your readiness to undertake the program for which you are applying.
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Write a Personal Statement (approximately 500 words) elaborating your goals for your time in this program.
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Submit a copy of your most recent academic transcript. For the admissions phase this can be an unofficial copy. However, an official copy must be submitted before enrolling in classes.
Upload all materials within 5 days of receiving portal login.
Receive your admissions decision & non-refundable $2,000 deposit deadlines:
Fall 2025 – March 22, 2025 and pay non-refundable deposit by March 28, 2025
Payment Schedule
Fall 2025
Non-refundable first payment due March 28, 2025 – $2,000
Second payment due May 19, 2025 – $8,950
Final payment due July 14, 2025 – $8,950
The payment schedule is the applicant’s contractual obligation. Failure to make each payment when due shall automatically cancel participant from the program. All payments are effective the day they are received by the Accent U.S. Office. Accent, in its sole discretion, may reinstate an applicant subject to availability of space and late enrollment fees. The program participant shall be the client of Accent for all purposes.
Program price does not include
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Round-trip airfare
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Personal expenses, passports, visas, books, supplies, and anything not listed as included
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Meals, other than described
Cancellations
Cancellation Fees:
Fall 2025
Cancellation between March 29 – May 20, 2025: $2,000
Cancellation between May 21 – July 15, 2025: $3,000
Cancellation after July 15, 2025: No refund
All cancellations must be made in writing to Accent and are effective the date of receipt by Accent. Participants are liable for payments until written cancellation is received by Accent.
At any point before or during the program, should PCA or Accent’s protocols deem necessary to cancel the program for any health or safety reasons, Accent and PCA will attempt to refund all recoverable fees and costs.
Questions?
SACI@accentglobal.com
@saciflorence
Ready to spend a semester in Florence?
Program Inquiry