Creative opportunities for teens in partnership with local galleries.
Emily Carr University works with the Vancouver Art Gallery and Richmond Art Gallery to offer community programs for young people ages 12–18. These programs give teens the chance to explore art and design, connect with peers and learn directly from practicing artists and educators.
We currently offer two community programs:
- Teen Art Group for ages 15–18
- Youth Art + Culture Lab for ages 12–14
Teen Art Group
Teen Art Group is an immersive program made possible through a unique partnership between Emily Carr University and the Vancouver Art Gallery. Designed for ages 15 to 18, participants spend Thursdays after school alternating between the Gallery and ECU studios. At the Gallery, teens engage with exhibitions and cultural practitioners; at ECU, they translate ideas into making with professional artist-educators.
Learning Outcomes + Curricular Relevance
By the end of the program, students will:
- Build confidence experimenting with a variety of artistic materials and approaches
- Explore how art connects to culture, history and society
- Practice discussing, critiquing and creating work collaboratively with peers
- Develop new ideas and artworks to begin building a portfolio
Teen Art Group also complements the B.C. Arts Education curriculum, particularly the competencies from Art Studio 12. Students take creative risks, reflect on how artists use materials and processes, and examine the relationship between visual arts and the world around them.
Program Dates + Locations
Fall Term (October–December 2025)
- Oct 16: Vancouver Art Gallery
- Oct 23: Emily Carr University
- Oct 30: Vancouver Art Gallery
- Nov 6: Emily Carr University – class cancelled; makeup class Feb 19
- Nov 13: Vancouver Art Gallery
- Nov 20: Emily Carr University
- Nov 27: Vancouver Art Gallery
- Dec 4: Emily Carr University
- Dec 11: Vancouver Art Gallery
Winter Break
Spring Term (January–February 2026)
- Jan 15: Emily Carr University
- Jan 22: Vancouver Art Gallery
- Jan 29: Emily Carr University
- Feb 5: Emily Carr University
- Feb 12: Vancouver Art Gallery
- Feb 19: Emily Carr University
Scholarships
Four full tuition scholarships are available for Teen Art Group. Applications are due by September 22, 2025. Scholarship recipients will be notified by September 29, 2025.
For Indigenous students: Two scholarships are reserved for students of Indigenous ancestry.
For students facing financial barriers: Two scholarships are available for students experiencing financial barriers.
Youth Art + Culture Lab
Youth Art + Culture Lab is a collaboration between ECU and Richmond Art Gallery. Designed for teens aged 12-14, the program runs on Sunday afternoons and alternates locations. Students work with professional artists, gallery educators and ECU instructors while exploring exhibitions, experimenting with a wide range of media and developing their confidence in the studio.
The program concludes with a student showcase, where participants present their work to family and friends.
Program Dates + Locations
Fall Term (October–December 2025)
- Oct 19: Richmond Art Gallery
- Oct 26: Emily Carr University
- Nov 2: Richmond Art Gallery
- Nov 9: No session (Remembrance Day weekend)
- Nov 16: Emily Carr University
- Nov 23: Richmond Art Gallery (at Cultural Centre Annex)
- Nov 30: Emily Carr University
- Dec 7: Richmond Art Gallery
- Dec 14: Emily Carr University
Winter Break
Spring Term (January–March 2026)
- Jan 18: Emily Carr University
- Jan 25: Richmond Art Gallery
- Feb 1: Emily Carr University
- Feb 8: Richmond Art Gallery
- Feb 15: No session (Family Day weekend)
- Feb 22: Emily Carr University
- Mar 1: Richmond Art Gallery
- Mar 8: Emily Carr University (Final Celebration)
Creative Pathway Partnerships
Emily Carr University has partnered local school districts and Arts Umbrella to offer programs where students can earn university credit while still in high school and become eligible for an easier admission process to study at ECU after graduation.
We currently offer two youth credit programs:
- HeadStart in Art for grade 12 students
- Arts Umbrella Pathways for grade 12 students or high school graduates under 20 years old.
HeadStart in Art
Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) has partnered with the Vancouver, Coquitlam, and Surrey school districts to offer Dual Credit opportunities for grade 12 students through the HeadStart in Art program.
Through this program, students can:
- Gain credits toward their BC Dogwood Diploma.
- Complete three credits of first-year study at ECU that may be applied toward an undergraduate degree.
- Secure a portfolio waiver for use when applying for admission to ECU
Dual Credit courses provide a valuable opportunity for students to experience university-level learning while still in high school, explore creative disciplines, and begin building their post-secondary credentials early.
Arts Umbrella Pathways
In partnership with Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Arts Umbrella will offer eligible students advanced standing and a streamlined application process into the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree program at ECU through this new program pathway.
Arts Umbrella students who complete the ECU Pathway Option will receive a waiver of the standard portfolio requirement and may gain direct entry into undergraduate programs at Canada’s #1 university for art and design education.
The pathway is currently open only to domestic students. Students enrolled in this year’s Umbrella Arts Intensive Program are eligible for the pathway. New students can register for the upcoming programming year in the Spring.
Pathway Option A:
3 undergraduate credits (FNDT 108: Creative Processes).
For students enrolled in:
- 13-19 yrs Architecture & Environmental Design
- 13-19 yrs Clay Sculpture
- 13-19 yrs Ceramics
- 13-19 yrs Stop Motion Animation
- 13-19 yrs 3D Modeling & Animation
Pathway Option B:
6 undergraduate credits (FNDT 108: Creative Processes and FNDT 112: Foundation Drawing Studio).
For students enrolled in:
- 15-19 yrs Drawing & Painting