Project Open Door
Teaching + Learning in Art + Design (TLAD) runs Project Open Door (POD), a community arts program that helps local high school students develop artistic skills through free art and design programs.
Learning within the context of RISD’s creative community, students from Providence and nearby cities receive quality instruction, encouragement to graduate from high school and support in pursuing postsecondary education. This includes preparing competitive portfolios for colleges and universities—RISD among them.
POD programs
For teens seeking to develop their artistic skills and knowledge about art and design, our Saturday portfolio program offers high-quality instruction throughout the school year.
Our after-school programming—delivered by TLAD graduate teaching artists—lets teens develop their creative talents while exploring diverse approaches to art and design practice.
Free to eligible Rhode Island high school students, our summer studio programs offer a wide range of experiences. Varying from year to year, previous workshops include design studios with Hasbro, ceramics making at The Steel Yard and more.
RISD graduate and undergraduate students and teaching artists enjoy opportunities to design and teach single workshops or after-school workshop series that engage POD teens.
Take a closer look at POD
If you’re interested or want to get involved, visit POD’s dedicated website to meet our staff, student teachers and alumni, view artwork by past students and more.
POD news
RISD’s Jewelry + Metalsmithing department collaborates with Project Open Door to offer young artists the first on-campus studio of its kind.
Project Open Door students are back on campus this summer, trying their hands at everything from textiles to toy design in long-running RISD program.
Project Open Door teams up with Hasbro to provide area teens with an intensive, all-virtual toy and game design workshop.