In the Age of Imagination, artists and art professionals are uniquely qualified to act as catalysts for the next advances in culture, technology, and quality of life for all.
The fate of Arts is in the students of today who develop themselves with the capacity to conceptualize creative and extraordinary artwork of the past. These are the artist who will be completely prepared to find mastery and beauty in the art of painting – permitting them to build upon custom and completely understand their remarkable, creative dreams within the world of today.
Previous art experience or lessons are not a requirement for art schools in Toronto. Art schools in Toronto welcome every level of artist, including outright novices.
Classes are structured with step-by-step instructions making the drawing process simple and fun. Each year students are enrolled (Child or Adult), they step up the skill level required for projects so that they can continually be engaged and tested.
Take your passion and talent to the next level today by seeking a compensating career in the arts industry. Explore these top art schools in Toronto in this article.
Why Art School?
Creativity is an educational tool, one that develops a student’s confidence and problem-solving skills. Art schools teach students to be imaginative and trust their intuition — there is no wrong way to make an artwork.
This unique type of experiential learning creates opportunities for self-expression and calculated risk-taking along with the enjoyment of seeing creative efforts lead to tangible results.
Small class sizes allow for plenty of individual attention from experienced teachers(artists).
Best Art Schools In Toronto
Here is a list of some of the Top Art Schools in Toronto:
Toronto School Of Art
Toronto School of Art for over 50 years has been Toronto’s longest-running independent art school. TSA has consistently provided a positive environment for aspiring artists to attain a quality visual arts education.
TSA offers students a unique opportunity for hands-on studio learning and exposure to artistic trends in drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, mixed media, digital and photography.
Most courses are geared towards adults. A selection of courses for youth ages 11–17 is also offered each term.
Courses are taught both in-person (when available) in studios and also online.
At TSA, professional artists/educators teach students of all levels with both traditional and contemporary approaches. TSA offers an array of courses to choose from that will further develop students’ artistic vision and ability at any level, as well as art workshops and group events as team-building activities.
Courses:
- Ceramic Arts
- Mixed Media
- Painting
- Fibre Arts
- Printmaking
- Sculpture
- Drawing
- Interdisciplinary:This includes the intersection of art, composition, design, art history and craft to enrich visual arts knowledge.
- Digital Arts: This explores photography, digital sculpting, video editing, animation, digital painting and Adobe Creative Suite.
They also offer other Special programs which include Reduced Term Course Packages (RTCP), Professional Development Courses, Group Workshops, and Life Drawing /Painting Without Instructions. View Tuition and Fees Details
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OCAD University
The Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U) is an art school located in the heart of Toronto, they are known as one of the largest and most comprehensive art, design and media universities in Canada.
Founded in 1876, OCAD U is dedicated to art and design education, practice and research and knowledge and invention across a wide range of disciplines. OCAD U offers programs and research bridge fields of digital media and design, sustainability, health and wellness, cultural diversity and indigenous cultures.
Students engage in creative studio-based, aesthetic and technical learning, together with critical, theoretical, scientific and historical knowledge and methods.
Undergraduate Programs:
- Criticism & Curatorial Practice
- Advertising
- Cross-Disciplinary Art: Life Studies
- Environmental Design
- Environmental Design: Interior Design Specialization
- Graphic Design
- Integrated Media: Digital Painting and Expanded Animation
- Drawing & Painting
- Integrated Media
- Industrial Design
- Material Art & Design
- Drawing & Painting: Digital Painting and Expanded Animation
- Visual and Critical Studies
- Photography
- Indigenous Visual Culture
- Sculpture/Installation
- Digital Futures
- Illustration
- Creative Writing
- Printmaking & Publications
Graduate Programs:
- Contemporary Art, Design and New Media Art Histories (MA)
- Inclusive Design (MDes)
- Interdisciplinary Master’s in Art, Media and Design (MA, MFA & MDes)
- Criticism and Curatorial Practice (MFA)
- Design for Health (MDes)
- Strategic Foresight and Innovation (MDes)
- Digital Futures (MA, MFA, MDes)
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Studio West
Studio West is an art school in Toronto, it was founded with the hope to provide the best education by professionals from various industries for students of all levels who might wish to pursue creative careers.
Studio West offers quality practical studio and industry knowledge shared by full-time artists and designers.
At Studio West classes are designed for artists at all levels who would like to learn processes and essential painting tools to create visually impactful and comprehensible en Plein air paintings as well as more immersive scenes with figurative elements.
They offer:
This features Outdoor Painting & Figures Professional & Private Mentorship.
Painting Classes- Digital And Multimedia:
This includes Painting Studio and Mentorship ONLINE (Class A & CLASS B) – All mediums, including but not limited to: Acrylic, Oils, Watercolours, Drawing, and Digital.
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Academy Of Art Canada
Academy Of Art Canada is a traditional drawing and painting academy in Toronto, Canada for aspiring fine artists devoted to the study of poetic realism in portraiture, figurative, landscape and still life art.
Derived from the study of five hundred years of art, the Academy of Art Canada is the choice for those who want a sincere, pre-1900, step-by-step, alternative to art instruction.
A strong emphasis is placed on accurate drawing and artistic interpretation – learning from the poetic realism of the past.
The AAC program is available full-time or part-time, meeting each student’s needs. Workshops are available for those not enrolled in the applied program. At AAC students are divided into Small groups per class and learn at own their own pace
The students learn their craft from studying the artistic thinking and historical techniques of renowned artists.
They offer a wide range of program outlines:
DRAWING:
- Preparatory Drawing
- Cast Studies
- Figure Drawing
- Portrait Drawing
- Morphology
- Perspective
- Landscape
- Drapery
PAINTING:
- Elementary Color
- Essential Values
- Direct Method
- Advanced Color
- Advanced Indirect
- Cast Painting
- Portrait Painting
- Still Life
- Painting the Figure
- Flowers
- Landscape
- Historical Techniques
View Program Rates And Registration Details.
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Max The Mutt College
Max the Mutt College of Animation, Art & Design founded in 1996 has established a strong reputation in Toronto for training capable professionals.
Max The Mutt is regarded as Canada’s Top Career College for Animation, Concept Art & Illustration. Students get Skills for a rewarding and creative career in Animation, Concept Art or Illustration.
They offer rewarding Diploma programs for traditional 2D or 3D Animators for TV and Film, Concept artists for AAA games or animation, or illustrators for storytelling, comic books, graphic novels, and marketing design.
These unique and highly specialized diploma programs offer:
Small class sizes, One-on-one instruction, Highly qualified & professional instructors, Industry-led curriculum, Innovative, hands-on programming
- Animation Diploma
- Concept Art Diploma
- Illustration & Storytelling For Sequential Arts Diploma
As well As Workshops.
Max the Mutt is registered as a Private Career College under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005 with the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development. View Application Process.
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Academy Of Realist Art (ARA)
The Academy of Realist Art (ARA) offers a unique teaching environment where students learn classical drawing and painting skills based on 19th-century European atelier techniques. They have achieved international success in helping artists of all levels achieve their goals.
At the Academy of Realist Art, they teach students the academic skills for classical drawing and painting. Through a unique step-by-step process, students master the skills and disciplines needed to create really fine art.
The ARA approach is designed to strengthen a student’s understanding of how the masters created their works. These principles provide the academic foundation for beginner and experienced artists alike to gain proficiency in any artistic pursuit of their choosing.
They offer a wide range of Curriculum and workshops that cover:
- Drawing
- Three-dimensional plaster Cast
- Painting monochromatic painting in oils and elements of colour.
- Still Life Painting — arrangement of color, lights and spatial relationships
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Avenue Road Arts Schools
The Avenue Road Arts School has been inspiring creativity since 1993. The school has been a leader in arts education since its opening.
ARAS has become a recognized and trusted school for providing high-quality art classes, whether in person or virtually.
They offer students the best in art training, with a warm and supportive approach. There is a large roster of classes for children and adults, novice to experienced and those looking to exercise their creativity.
All programs are taught by professional artists/educators, who have a passion for their art practice, as well as plenty of teaching experience.
They offer Adult Art Classes and Kinds & teen art classes. Click here to view registration details and policies
Visit The Website.
Toronto Arts
Toronto Arts is a private art studio in Toronto that offers advanced-level visual arts education for students who are preparing a portfolio for post-secondary.
These are for arts programs in the areas of graphic design, Architecture, Fine Arts, Industrial Design, Interior design, Environmental Design, Illustration, Fashion Design and Animation.
They assist students in creating a diversified portfolio of artwork that they can submit to top universities and colleges.
Programs include:
- Fine Arts
- Graphic Design
- Industrial Designs
- Interior Designs
- Environmental Designs
- Illustration
- Fashion Design
- Architecture
- Structure
- Composition
- Artistic Anatomy
- Contour Lines
- Perspective
- Gesture Drawing
- Character Design
- Storyboard
- Perspective Drawing
- Short Animation
- Drawing
- Painting
- Perspective Drawing
- Sculpture
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Seneca College — School Of Creative Arts & Animation
Seneca College – School of Creative Arts & Animation believes in creating great student experiences that provide enriching learning opportunities — both inside and outside of the classroom.
They offer programs in art, animation and design which are on giving life to the creative worlds inside of every student.
Students are encouraged to explore arts and also enrich themselves with experiences that will give them an edge in the workforce or talent into industry-ready skills that will guide their careers.
- 3D Animation
- Acting For Camera And Voice
- Animation
- Art Fundamentals
- Documentary And Non-Fiction Media Production
- Documentary Film Making Institute
- Illustration
- Honors Bachelor Of Design In Interactive Media
- Game Art And Animation
- Graphic Design
- Independent Music Production
- Independent Songwriting And Performance
- Photography
- Visual Art For Film And Television
- Interactive Media Design
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Etobicoke School of the Arts
Etobicoke School Of arts is a specialized, public arts-academic high school in Toronto. It was founded in 1981 and has kept the reputation of being the oldest, free-standing arts-focused high school in Canada.
The school’s academic curriculum offers a full range of subject selections in the areas of mathematics, science, languages (English, Math And French) and social sciences, geography and history while providing flexibility to be fully engaged in an arts major. Students graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
Programs:
Programs in Etobicoke for young people (students)include:
- Dance
- Drama
- Visual Arts
- Film
- Music Band or Strings Music
- Music Theater or Contemporary Arts
- Geography/History/Social Sciences
- Instrumental Music
- Languages— English Nad French
- Mathematics
- Sciences
ESA’s learning environment is vibrant, engaging, welcoming and extremely busy and this encourages students to explore and develop their artistic abilities.
Visit The Website.
The Canadian Contemporary School Of Arts (CCSA)
The Canadian Contemporary School of Art (CCSA) is an art school in Toronto offering in-person and online art classes for Adults, Teens, Kids, and Toddlers.
Students receive high-quality art instruction in a warm and welcoming environment. By nurturing the artist in everyone, art classes at CCSA help to plant the seeds of lifelong creativity. CCSA is the leader in Toronto Art Classes.
CCSA has a team of professional artists and educators in Toronto, Canada working to provide accessible, dynamic art programs for toddlers, children, teens, and adults.
With engaging in-studio classes and an exciting variety of online courses, they welcome local and international art lovers.
Courses:
They offer courses in Visual Arts, Media Arts, Performing Arts, and Interdisciplinary Arts which include:
- Drama
- Painting
- Drawing
- Cartooning
- Sculpture
- Fashion
- Architecture
- Film Making
- Animation
- Photographer
- Creative Writing
- Sci-Art
They also offer online art classes for children and teens and in-person art classes.
Visit The Website.
The Arts Academy
The Art Academy at Art-Kinect is an art school in Toronto that practices realism art by teaching students how to render realistic figures. Art-Kinect students can learn a variety of artistic styles and mediums.
This includes figure and portraiture, anime/manga, architecture, animals and nature, still life renderings and more. They explore various mediums which include, pencil and charcoal, acrylic and oil paint, watercolor, and digital art!
Classes are available for ages 4 and up, as well as high-school students considering a career in the arts to benefit from tailored programming, interview preparation, portfolio review, and exposure to creative industries.
Students are also exposed to entering national and international competitions to build confidence, experience, and recognition.
The School’s professional instructors are all practicing artists, who have years of experience working with youth. They can tailor programs to fit the strengths of every child, while also providing a nurturing environment for accomplishment and opportunity.
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VR School Of Arts
VR School of Art has been fostering art talents for over 20 years. The school’s unique approach to teaching visual arts allows its students to develop their unique techniques.
Students get trained and work with experts who have decades of experience in drawing, teaching, and oil painting. Classes are available for beginners and experienced artists both.
- Children’s Course Ages 8 and older:
-Elementary drawing and painting skills.
-Techniques of line drawing and cross contour drawing.
-Elementary knowledge of form, color harmonies, and paint mixing.
- Portfolio Preparation Course
- Advanced Drawing Course
- Landscape Painting – Beginners and Advanced
- Impressionist Painting
- Life Model Painting and Drawing
- Composition Course – Principles of arrangement
- Drawing and Painting for Beginners – (6-9 years)
- Portraiture Course
- Copy Painting
- Plein Air.
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The University Of Toronto Scarborough
Art programs at the University of Toronto Scarborough offer hands-on courses in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, performance art, video, new media, animation, and conceptual practices.
The program helps students to develop essential creative and technical skills to pursue artistic interests while putting them on a career path in a range of creative fields in arts and media
Students can also take specialized courses in digital imaging, sound art, kinetics, or thematic courses. And also courses that explore such things as the relationships between art and globalization, art and politics, or time-based art practices.
UTSC Studio Art students develop a combination of technical, theoretical, conceptual and critical skills that enable them to express and communicate their ideas confidently in a variety of visual languages.
Studio Arts Programs
- SPECIALIST PROGRAM IN STUDIO ART (ARTS)
- MAJOR PROGRAM IN STUDIO ART (ARTS)
- MINOR PROGRAM IN STUDIO ART (ARTS)
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FAQs
Is Toronto Good For The Arts?
Toronto is known for being an artistic and cultural hub in Canada. According to the Toronto Arts Council, Toronto is home to 93% more artists than any other Canadian city.
The same survey found that 70% of Torontonians regularly attend, volunteer, or donate to the city’s many artistic and cultural events.
Find Out More Here.
How Long Is An Art School In Canada?
This depends on the degree type. But majorly, art degrees should take about four years. The most popular degree offered by the University of Alberta, Department of Art is the Bachelor of Arts (degree).
This usually takes about four years of study.
Find Out More Here.
How Much Does It Cost To Go To An Art School In Canada?
Here is the average cost of art school in Canada for domestic and international students:
- Domestic Undergraduate Student — CAD 5,926
- Domestic Graduate Student—CAD 5,586
- International Undergraduate Student—CAD 28,496
- Find Out More Here.
Do I Need An Arts Degree To Be An Artist?
You don’t need a degree in art to be a fine artist. Unlike other specialties like medicine or engineering, an art degree is not too necessary for you. Unless you’re getting into education at certain types of schools, the art degree does not determine how skilled you are.
Conclusion:
Toronto is an amazing hub for visual arts culture. Arts programs in Toronto are for those wishing to secure a comprehensive artistic foundation derived from a full spectrum of traditional drawing and painting.
Art is powerful. When young people connect with the arts they find not just the capacity for individual expression, but also confidence in a discipline they can carry with them for life. That is genuine power. Like the power-to-illuminate-a room, powerful!