Art Experience (ArtEx)

A collage of images showing students working in various art mediums, including glass, clay, metal, and paint.
 

Art Experience

Continue Your Artistic Passions with RIT Art Experience

RIT Art Experience (ArtEx) is an enrichment program exclusively for first-year applicants to RIT. Designed to complement any major, embark on a journey of creative expression to enhance your creativity and further your exploration of the arts.

An R I T student with teal hair welding.

Curious to try blowing glass, throwing ceramic vessels, or blacksmithing? 

Flex your creative muscles outside of the classroom with unique hands-on art experiences.

Offered by RIT’s renowned College of Art and Design, ArtEx creates opportunities for students like you to participate in creative and collaborative experiences beyond your major. ArtEx offers you special access to engage with the outstanding resources and expertise available within the School for American Crafts and School of Art.

The RIT ArtEx Community

Join a group of like-minded creators to discover new and exciting possibilities in art and beyond.

Here, you will connect and share your passion for creativity and art through discussion and resource-sharing, artist demonstrations and talks, hands-on workshops, off-campus field trips, and other community-oriented activities. Learn to think both analytically and creatively in a community of thinkers, doers, and makers. Explore your passion for art and hone your problem-solving skills while challenging your creativity in a fun and supportive environment. 

This non-credit-bearing program has no required assignments. Enjoy the freedom to be expressive and create on your own terms with your choice of ArtEx Core or ArtEx+ events. The required $100 semester fee includes two hands-on ArtEx Plus events and unlimited ArtEx Core events.

Both ArtEx Core and ArtEx+ events vary by semester and are dependent on time and availability.

ArtEx Core Events

Connect with your fellow ArtEx members to share creative experiences, accomplishments, and ideas.

Learn from expert artists and refine your creative eye with gallery talks and studio visits. You will also have the opportunity to experience studio demonstrations of unique artistic processes like glassblowing, metal casting, and woodworking. All ArtEx Core programming is covered by your semester fee, so you have the opportunity to choose as many events as you would like to attend.

  • An artist giving a presentation about artwork in a gallery to a room full of visitors.

    Artist Talks

    Visiting artists and RIT’s own renowned award-winning creatives will discuss their inspiring and artistic processes, how they overcame creative challenges, and among other exciting topics, they will help you grow as an artist.

  • An artist giving demonstrations on how to use various materials in a studio.

    Studio Demonstrations

    See for yourself the fascinating and unique craft art processes practiced by experts in RIT’s College of Art and Design. Get special access to RIT’s cutting-edge art studios and fabrication facilities to witness the experts transform materials like molten glass, hot metal, and clay into incredible original creations.

  • Two visitors looking at exhibits in a gallery.

    Gallery Visits

    Hone your creative eye with lively walks through RIT’s many art galleries guided by curators and artists. While discussing the goals of the artist and the techniques they used, you will begin to understand what art speaks to you and why.

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ArtEx+ Events

Get hands-on with fun and exciting creative processes as you learn new skills.

Try processes like printmaking, glassblowing, and wheel-throwing with the guidance of talented artists on campus and beyond. Many ArtEx+ events provide you the opportunity to walk away with your very own piece of art. Hands-on workshops are included in your semester fee, and you can sign up for more workshops or special trips for an additional cost. 

  • A group of metalworkers pouring molten metal into casts.

    Iron and Aluminum Casting

    In this introductory workshop, we will guide you through the extraordinary process of creating your own cast metal object! Carve your design into a sand mold then watch as molten metal is poured into your form to create a unique aluminum tile.

  • People sitting at a table learning how to do glass flamework.

    Glass Flameworking

    You will learn how to light a torch, adjust the flame, stretch, gather, cut and fuse borosilicate (boro) glass rod and make colored forms. Students can expect to create at least one small object out of molten glass.

  • A person welding two pieces of metal together while others watch.

    Welding

    An excellent way for beginners to learn welding through a combination of classroom and hands-on lab instruction. This experience will enhance your understanding of safety, equipment setup, and welding techniques on steel.

  • A person wearing an orange R I T hoodie, hammering a piece of hot metal on an anvil.

    Blacksmithing

    An introductory workshop designed to let you experience what it's like to work hot steel. The experience will involve a combination of lecture, demonstration and hands-on instruction at the forge to enhance your learning.  Focus will be on the fundamentals of hammer control to get the steel to respond the way you want as you create.

  • An artist holding a piece of marbled paper.

    Paper Marbling

    Discover the whimsy of printmaking on water with this workshop on paper marbling. Made by dropping paint onto the surface of a water bath and manipulated into one-of-a-kind designs— paper marbling is easy to learn with no prior experience or skill necessary! Students will learn how to make a range of patterns from the refined to the psychedelic, using techniques from cultures all around the world. This custom paper is perfect for cards, bookmaking, and much more!

  • A stack of bound books.

    Bookbinding

    In this introductory workshop we will be hand-binding your very own journal or sketchbook, decorated with a rubber stamp carved by you. You will learn simple hand-sewn book techniques as well as skills in relief block printing. This beginner experience will teach you everything you need to begin making books and stamps of your own at home.

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Ready to Create?

First-year applicants to RIT are eligible to apply for the RIT ArtEx program, with the exception of applicants applying to programs in the College of Art and Design. The application consists of a few questions regarding your creative experiences and goals, and requires RIT application account credentials to log in.

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Want to Learn More?

Please contact Art Experience Director Kate Johnson at kmjfaa@rit.edu with any questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

First-year undergraduate applicants to RIT are eligible to apply for the ArtEx program, with the exception of those applying to programs in the College of Art and Design (CAD). At present, we are unable to accommodate transfers into the program by current RIT students but should consider exploring the many elective courses available from CAD.

There is no minimum or maximum time commitment — you will be able to sign up for as much or as little programming as you would like.

The highly skilled faculty and graduate students of the School for American Crafts and School of Art will be teaching many of the ArtEx workshops. Accomplished local artisans and special visiting artists will also serve as ArtEx instructors.

A free online studio safety training course is required for all students in this program each year. Each workshop facilitator will make sure you are aware of all safety considerations before you start to engage in studio activities.

No — all necessary materials will be provided.

There is a $100 fee per semester for ArtEx program membership, which covers unlimited ArtEx Core events, and two ArtEx+ hands-on workshops. ArtEx Core programming includes demonstrations, talks, and presentations, as well as early access to select art and craft electives! ArtEx+ events include hands-on workshops and special trips. While two hands-on workshops are included in your semester fee, you can sign up for more workshops or special trips for an additional cost. 

Yes, the membership fee is required each semester in order to maintain membership in the ArtEx program. 

Most ArtEx+ events will be scheduled for weekends and Friday afternoons.

Unfortunately, we usually won’t be able to offer refunds for special ArtEx+ events due to the pre-ordering of materials and commitments to our workshop facilitators. Medical or family-related exceptions will be considered by the program director on a case-by-case basis.

Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate participants from outside the ArtEx program membership due to predetermined studio capacities, pre-ordering of materials, and safety considerations.

Typically, students on co-op are not in the Rochester area, which prohibits them from participating in on-campus experiences. Exceptions may be possible on a case-by-case basis. You may rejoin the program when you return from co-op.

No, once you're accepted into the ArtEx Program, you can remain enrolled throughout your time as an undergraduate, as long as you remain continuously enrolled in the ungraded, 0-credit, online, Art Experience course.

ArtEx is only able to accept applications from new undergraduate applicants who are not yet taking classes at RIT.

Once you’re accepted into the ArtEx Program, you can remain enrolled throughout your time as an undergraduate, as long as you remain continuously enrolled in the ungraded, 0-credit, online, Art Experience course. You are free to drop out of the ArtEx Program at any point, but will not be able to rejoin. Exceptions to this policy include study abroad trips and co-ops.

ArtEx events are usually one-time offerings ranging from 3 to 6 hours in duration. They will mostly occur on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Possibly, this will depend on each specific workshop and instructor.

ArtEx students only have access to workshop facilitities for the duration of each ArtEx workshop.

Members also have seats held for them in a variety of studio elective courses in the College of Art and Design.

No, this is not a certification program nor will it appear on your transcript. We are happy to recommend appropriate certification programs whenever possible, though.

Absolutely! We have many courses open to all RIT students and will be holding some seats for ArtEx students. If you really love something you may even decide to minor in it, see this page for more information: https://www.rit.edu/artdesign/study/minors.