Ryman Arts teaches teens essential skills for art and life in a rigorous, nurturing studio environment. The core program includes free out-of-school sequential studio courses that emphasize advanced drawing and painting skills, along with college and career planning. Courses, taught by professional teaching artists, foster students’ artistic development and personal confidence, and provide the knowledge they need to pursue higher education and careers in the arts. Ryman Arts is the only such program in southern California that is totally free and that selects participants solely on the basis of their ability and commitment. By doing so, Ryman Arts is able to serve talented youth from a wide variety of backgrounds without regard to their family’s financial status. Ryman Arts aims to inspire, nurture, and challenge the next generation of artists to reach their potential.
Over 150 participants from almost 100 zip codes across southern California gather for 3 ½ hour classes on Saturdays at the USC Roski School of Fine Arts, which has donated use of its studios since 1994. Guest artists, field trips, and intensive college portfolio workshops round out the curriculum. Accepted students even receive professional quality art supplies at no charge. Ryman Arts offers outreach presentations and drawing workshops at schools and community organizations to ensure broad access to the program.
Hallmarks of Ryman Arts include emphasis on skill-based studio practice, collaboration with schools and community organizations, programmatic rigor, accessibility, and long term relationships. Ryman Arts’ priority is to offer high-quality, in-depth experiences for relatively small numbers of young people. The relationships formed among students, faculty and staff continue over time, as evidenced by the number of alumni who stay involved as teaching assistants, interns, guest artists and members of the growing Ryman Arts Alumni Association. Ryman Arts is a vibrant community of promising teenage artists, emerging alumni artists, and professional teaching artists.
Together, we are the sum of extraordinary parts: training ground, incubator of talent, motivator, and inspiration for a lifelong passion for the arts.
Ryman Arts: A Student’s Perspective
Watch a five minute video, presenting brief interviews with young artists who have participated in Ryman Arts. Listen and see how these teens have been impacted by the program and gain insight into the challenges they have faced, their accomplishments in the program, and the difference Ryman Arts has made in their lives.
Produced and directed by Philip Hover.
(c)2008 Ryman Arts
Learn more about the history of Ryman Arts.
[artwork at page top: Melody Yenn]
