The Glasgow School of Art

We offer an engaging programme of online and studio-based courses, workshops, and events to support those we work with.

S6 Portfolio Courses – On campus

• Wednesdays, 5pm - 8pm, 31 August until 7 December 2022
• Thursdays, 5pm - 8pm, 1 September until 8 December 2022
• Sundays, 2pm - 5pm, 4 September until 11 December 2022

S6 Portfolio Courses – Online

• Thursdays, 5pm – 8pm, 1 September until 8 December 2022
• Saturdays, 10am - 1pm, 3 September until 10 December 2022

The S6 Portfolio Course runs for 15-weeks and is open to eligible pupils in S6 who plan to submit a UCAS application to study a creative undergraduate degree starting in September 2023. The course includes a number of creative projects that will help participants to generate high quality, relevant work suitable for their application portfolio. The course covers many key skills including responding to a creative brief, using research to enhance practical work and developing work through reflection and feedback.

S6 Portfolio Course participants are encouraged to experiment with a wide range of materials (provided free of charge) and will gain experience of learning methods at GSA including peer learning, feedback from your tutor, group critique and self-directed projects.

Architecture Portfolio Courses - Online

• Mondays, 5pm - 8pm, 3 October – 5 December 2022
• Wednesday, 5pm - 8pm, 5 October – 7 December 2022
• Saturdays, 2pm - 5pm, 8 October – 10 December 2022

This is a 10-week course for pupils in S5 or S6 who are interested in studying architecture when they leave secondary school. The course is designed to give pupils the knowledge and skills needed to compile a strong portfolio of work specifically for architecture courses. Key skills covered include orthographic drawing, model making and using research to inform project outcomes. Participants are encouraged to develop an active interest Architecture by looking closely at the built environment around them and researching precedents of internationally important contemporary architecture. 

Architecture Portfolio Course participants will receive the materials needed to complete coursework (provided free of charge) and will gain experience of learning methods at GSA including feedback from your tutor, peer learning and group critique.

Architects in the Making - On campus

• Saturday 21 January 2023, 10am – 3pm

All architecture portfolio course participants will be invited to Architects in the Making, a one-day workshop for those applying to study Architecture at GSA. Participants will work with Architecture staff and students to produce additional work for their digital portfolio.

S5 Portfolio Course – On campus

• Block 1: Sundays, 10am - 1pm, 4 September - 6 November 2022
• Block 3: Sundays, 10am - 1pm, 5 February - 9 April 2023

S5 Portfolio Course - Online

• Block 2: Tuesdays, 5pm - 8pm, 6 September - 8 November 2022
• Block 4: Tuesdays, 5pm - 8pm, 7 February – 11 April 2023

This is a 10-week course for young people in fifth year at secondary school who are thinking about studying a visual creative course at college or university. Participants will take part in a number of short creative projects including an introduction to sketchbooks, experimental drawing and working in 3D. The course culminates in a group crit where pupils show all of the work they’ve made on the course to discuss the strengths and areas for development in each person’s work. Many pupils who complete this course include some of the work produced in their application portfolio.

S4 Creative Club - Online

• Saturday 27 August 2022 
• Saturday 24 September 2022 
• Saturday 29 October 2022 
• Saturday 26 November 2022 
• Saturday 28 January 2023 
• Saturday 25 February 2023 
• Saturday 25 March 2023 
• Saturday 29 April 2023 
• Saturday 27 May 2023 

S4 Creative Club is a series of online workshops taking place on the last Saturday of every month, 11am - 1pm. Participants will learn how to make interesting creative work with a new art material, posted to them for free before each session. Tutors will provide guided demonstrations of each activity, and pupils will share photos of their work to receive instant feedback during each live session. S4 pupils can attend as many workshops as they like, subject to successfully booking a place before each workshop.

Watch & Chat - Online

• Monday 19 September 2022 (postponed due to the national bank holiday)
• Monday 3 October 2022 
• Monday 17 October 2022 
• Monday 31 October 2022 
• Monday 14 November 2022 
• Monday 28 November 2022 
• Monday 12 December 2022

Watch & Chat is a drop-in fortnightly film club taking place on MS Teams from 5pm until 6pm. The videos shown will introduce participants to a wide range of contemporary creative practitioners, help them develop good secondary research skills and give them a space to practice talking about art, design and architecture in preparation for potential future interviews. 

Allocation of places

To request a place on any of the above activities, please email wp@gsa.ac.uk

Places on all Widening Participation courses and events are limited and while we endeavour to work with as many eligible young people as possible, we will prioritise care experienced and those living in quintile 1 priority postcode areas in line with Scottish Government guidance when allocating places.