Portfolio Development: Apply Now!

Are you a student in Grade 11-12 or a grad of 2024 planning to study post-secondary fine arts/crafts? Apply now for the James Venner Russell Portfolio Development Program!

The deadline to pre-register for an interview is Friday, September 13, 2024. Please email Andrew Kierstead (director@sjartscentre.ca) or call 633-4870 by Sept. 13 at the latest to be assigned an interview time for Saturday, September 14, 2024.

Download the printer-friendly version of our Portfolio Development Application Forms here:

For the eighteenth straight year, the Saint John Arts Centre will offer an 18-week Portfolio Development Program. This program is designed for students who are dedicated to the pursuit and study of visual art, and is aided by the generous support of the James Venner Russell Foundation.

This program is open to students from grades 11 and 12 (priority is given to grade 12 students) and to students who graduated in the spring of 2024.

The purpose of this program is twofold: to provide students an opportunity to learn under the guidance of visual art teachers as they are provided with formal instruction; and to provide them an opportunity to develop a proper portfolio for presentation to a post-secondary school. The curriculum will be designed so that master classes, workshops, studio time, critiques, curatorial experiences, and effective writing presentations are provided. The Saint John Arts Centre will offer students an opportunity to expand their own personal style through problem-solving and creative expression through visual arts. Master classes will be taught by local professional artists and educators. 

Admission to this program is limited. Submissions will be juried and made in person. (Please see the application form for more details.) Successful candidates will attend two sessions each week on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 PM and Saturday afternoons from 1-4 PM. Applications can be obtained in person from the Saint John Arts Centre, online from our website, or from your local high school in the Anglophone South school district or at École Samuel-de-Champlain.

Please contact Andrew Kierstead to pre-register for an interview by Friday, September 13, 2024. Interviews and submissions are on Saturday, September 14, 2024.

Andrew Kierstead, Executive Director
E-mail: director@sjartscentre.ca

The first class will be held on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.

Costs for instructors and studio space will be incurred by the Saint John Arts Centre and assisted through the generous support of the James Venner Russell Foundation.

Students will be required to incur a $150 fee for materials.