ArtReach Classes

ArtReach GW provides free, high-quality fine arts education, expressive and therapeutic art classes, and advanced fine arts college preparation facilitated by GW Corcoran alumni and local teaching artists to more than 200 youth and families who reside in DC Wards 7 & 8, and nearby Prince George's County, MD.

Fall 2023

Art & Action | In-person | 3rd - 8th Grade
September 12th - November 15th | Wednesdays | 6 - 7:30 PM
Explore various ways that artists have made an impact in their communities across time. Students will explore how art can be used as a tool to communicate messages and raise awareness about issues that are important to them. Students will be introduced to various printmaking and mixed media techniques.

Archi-Builder | In-person | 3rd - 8th Grade
October 3rd - November 14th | Tuesdays | 6 - 7:30 PM
Design and build your museum! This program teaches students the design processes used by architects. Students will work in teams to learn techniques that transform early ideas into a final design. Presentation skills will be fostered to prepare participants to share their new skills and experiences with others. The end project is to build a scale model of their own architectural design. This class is in partnership with the Washington Architectural Foundation.

Developing Young Artists | In-person | 3rd - 8th Grade
September 14th - November 16th| Thursdays | 6 - 7:30 PM
This class is for young artists who want to build their fine arts skills. In these sessions, students will explore fine art techniques and methods such as observational drawing, painting, and mixed media. Students will learn about contemporary artists and art history, interact with local artists, and gain knowledge about building a visual art portfolio in order to apply to high school or college visual art programs.

Intro to Character Design | Virtual | High School Students
September 12th - November 14th | Tuesdays | 6 - 7:30 PM
Characters are one of the most vital points to the creation of a story. In this class we will focus on the basics of character design. We will learn how a character is made from initial concepts all the way up to a finished character sheet you would find in an Art Book from your favorite movie. Students will learn about anatomy, posing, shape language, expressions and more and how to combine it all into a complete character. Laptops and tablets are preferred devices for this class.

Portfolio Development: Visual Art | In-person | High School Students
September 16th - November 18th | Saturdays | 10 am - 1 pm
The ArtReach GW Portfolio Development classes provide advanced arts training and portfolio development. Working from observation and experimenting with abstraction, students will learn drawing, painting, color theory, and composition fundamentals. Students will be introduced to various materials, mediums, and techniques. Group and individual critiques will take place throughout the course. The course is ideal for high school students wanting to build their portfolios for college or arts magnet High School admissions.

Architecture: Digital Design for Teens II | Virtual | High School Students
September 13th - November 15th | Wednesdays | 6 - 7:30 PM
Digital Design for Teens teaches valuable computer-aided design (CAD) skills to high school students. Part II is designed for students who have previously taken Part I or have other experience with CAD. Though many high-schools teach similar courses, the Washington Architectural Foundation and ArtReach GW team up to provide introductory education on digital drawing and 3D modeling for architectural, interior design, landscape architecture, civil and mechanical engineering purposes. Students will learn simple techniques they can practice outside of the classroom and apply for internships and educational opportunities. Digital Design for Teens is an excellent asset for any college applicant or job-seeker to have on their resume, and provides insight into the work involved in a modern design career. Please note desktop computers and laptops are preferred. Tablets are acceptable but not preferred.