Artward Bound FAQs
We are free for all students that meet our income eligibility guidelines. To be eligible for Artward Bound, your household income must be at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI) for Boston.
Students who live and go to school in Boston will be given priority for admission. Students outside of Boston are welcome to apply, as long as they live close enough to meet the attendance requirements; however, admission is on a case-by-case basis.
No. Students are encouraged to consider the entire commitment of the 4-year program before completing and submitting their application. Students who are hesitant about committing beyond the summer during the interview process will have an increased chance of being waitlisted.
Unfortunately, we do not accept 11th or 12th graders into Artward Bound. There are a variety of other art classes through MassArt’s Youth Programs that students can sign up for, including classes specifically for portfolio development. These programs are not free, but students can request scholarships if needed. Scholarships are not guaranteed, so students should sign up and request scholarships as early as possible.
Artward Bound does NOT ask for citizenship information of any sort. If students choose to submit information about their citizenship as part of their essay or writing sample, that information will be kept confidential.
After the application is submitted, students are invited to in-person interviews at MassArt. Families are encouraged to attend. Students will be notified by May 17th. Students submitting late applications will be notified no later than June 7th.
Interviews are a chance for AB Staff to get to know students better on a personal level. Questions focus on students’ connection to school and their artistic process. It is also a chance for students to ask questions about the program. Families should bring income verification to the interview.
Most commonly, families submit the first page of their most recent 1040 - we verify the # of people in family and total annual income. If families have not filed taxes within the last 2 years, we can be more creative about the kind of documentation we accept, and will work with families on an individual basis. We do NOT keep these documents on file, and will shred any copies submitted.
While often career-specific classes are offered during the summer term, on Saturdays (Saturday Studios), or school breaks (April Xtreme! Week), this is not the focus of the Artward Bound experience. All Artward Bound students study 2D and 3D fundamentals in order to build a foundation of art and design skills to prepare them for college. Learning the elements and principles of design through drawing will only help students become better photographers, and studying sculpture, craft, and construction techniques will assist aspiring fashion designers. If students understand this and are still enthusiastic about the program, they should be strongly encouraged to apply. If they find this news disappointing, à la carte programs like Saturday Studios might be a better fit.
No, Artward Bound 12th-grade students must apply to be accepted to MassArt. Currently, 2 full scholarships per year are available to Artward Bound students who complete at least 3 years of AB, are accepted to MassArt, have over a 3.0 GPA, succeed in community service, and submit a strong portfolio.
No, students must be able to use the MBTA independently or have a family member that can bring them every day. Free MBTA passes are provided in the summer (and during the year for students who do not have them)
Yes! Students who have been in Artward Bound for at least 1 year have the opportunity to earn a stipend for their participation in Artward Bound. Stipends are proportional to students' participation in the program. For example, if students are present 90% of the time, they receive 90% of the stipend.