Art & Design Short Courses

Contemporary Art Summer School

21 July—8 August 2025 | Applications now open

“This course offers the unique opportunity to look at your practice differently. I want people to walk away with a new joy in their practice and a different way of looking at what they have been working on so far.”

Dr Despina Zacharopoulou, Short Course Leader

Typography

3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24 & 27 June 2025 | Book Typography now

“Typography is part science and part art. This course aims to acquaint you with the core principles of typography (the science) and inspire you to develop your powers of typographic expression (the art).”

Adrian Shaughnessy, Short Course Leader

The Graphic Novel: Visual Storytelling

30 June, 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21 & 24 July 2025 | Book The Graphic Novel now

“How we start a story can prove difficult but to make this possible we are offering you a starting point. Composition, tone, colour, pacing and tempo are the things we have to engage with.”

Professor Andrzej Klimowski, Short Course Leader

Curating Contemporary Art and Design

7–18 July 2025 | Applications now open

“We provide a highly interactive environment in which participants develop their own curatorial practices and critical perspectives while building new networks and working collaboratively together.”

Elizabeth Del Prete, Short Course Convenor

Futures through design (on campus)

7–9 July 2025 | Book your place here

"For over a decade, the RCA has been a leader in design futures research and practice, and today offers a one year MDes in Design Futures. Now we are looking to create more opportunities with this short course. This in-person, intensive three-day experience is designed for organisational leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals and high-performing recent graduates who are seeking to transform strategic uncertainty into innovative opportunity."

John V Willshire and Dr Robert Phillips, Course Leaders

Architecture Summer School (on campus)

14–18 July 2025 | Applications now open

"An intense and immersive architecture, art and design summer school focusing on observation, developing key skills and offering design studio experience, lectures and visits."

Sabrina Morreale and Lorenzo Perri, Short Course Leaders

RCA-Imperial Design for Global Challenges Summer School

31 July—8 August 2025 | Register interest now

"The Imperial-RCA Global Challenges Course is a truly engaging and dynamic experience, the insightful academic environment and the exposure to international perspectives are unparalleled. The teams from both Imperial College and RCA are amazing and well co-ordinated, they were cooperative and very supportive."

Sandy Gu, Education Director, Global University Online China

Art and Design Portfolio Development

Future dates to be announced | Register your interest

“The portfolio as a practice is inherently multidisciplinary. As a self-authored publication, a portfolio translates a body of work through thoughtful art direction, critical writing and content curation.”

Richard Nash, Short Course Leader

Editorial Design

Fully booked for April 2025

“Learn the craft and art of editorial design, which is defined as the presentation of information (text and image) in a coherent, relevant and innovative manner, allowing the reader access to subject matter of all kinds and on various platforms."

Adrian Shaughnessy and Astrid Stavro, Short Course Leaders