School Mission

The Danforth Art School provides an inviting and inspiring setting within which students of all ages and levels can explore studio art practices. We create community through active engagement with museum exhibitions, a focus on excellence in instruction and through shared experiences.

 

The Art School at a Glance

Our large studios have huge windows and plenty of space to spread out at the easel or table. We enjoy access to the Danforth Art Museum on the second floor and easy access via elevator. Although we are in a lovely historic building, our studios are climate controlled and feature sinks and storage for works in progress.

Danforth Art School faculty are some of the finest artists and teachers working in the area. They are highly qualified and experienced, dedicated to our mission of creating community among students in class and to providing individualized instruction to students of all ages and levels. We accept applications for instructors on a rolling basis throughout the year.

We offer classes and workshops year round to adults, teens and children. We maintain a 12:1 student to teacher ratio for most classes and 8:1 in our K-1 level for children. Danforth members receive a discount on classes.

  • Adult students can enjoy continuing study in various media as well as unique workshops which are designed to highlight exhibitions in the museum
  • Teens have options which allow them to begin the process of developing a personal viewpoint in classes such as Fashion Design and Portrait & Figure Studies.
  • Children thrive in our classes and workshops as they learn foundational concepts and skills which are aligned with the stages of artistic development and allow for experimentation and personal expression
  • The Danforth Assistantship Program is a leadership opportunity for teens designed to provide valuable experience supporting public programming at the Museum and Art School
  • Summer Arts is an immersive experience for children and teens in weekly classes that dive deep into ideas, experimentation and creativity
  • Collaborations with partners in the metro-west region as well as with various programs at Framingham State University