Student artwork from the 2012/2013 Florence Program cohort. Photo by Martin Iskandar.
Student artwork from the 2012/2013 Florence Program cohort. Photo by Martin Iskandar.

Are you ready for an adventure in art history, and a unique studio-based challenge on location in the heart of the Italian Renaissance? The deadline for applications for OCAD U's 2014/2015 Florence Off-Campus Studies Program is January 17.

If you’re one of the 27 students selected to study in the Florence Program in 2014/2015, you’ll spend eight months immersed in Italian culture, surrounded by architectural and artistic treasures from the Italian Renaissance. You’ll learn art history on site in Florence and Rome with renowned art historian Peter Porcal. And you’ll develop your own work in a communal studio setting.

“It’s an experiential way to learn,” said Caroline Langill, Associate Dean, Faculty of Art. “Seeing the work in situ is always superior to a reproduction. Everything has meaning in an artwork when you see it in person.”

The Florence Program is based on more of an open, independent study model than most of the curriculum on campus at OCAD U. Langill describes it as more of a residency program  — something undergraduate students don’t normally have access to. If you go to Florence for your third year of study, it can also help set you up for your thesis. 

“If you haven’t been to Europe and you’re studying art, there’s nothing like it,” said Langill. While she noted experiencing the Renaissance first hand provides a western view of art, it is an important part of art history, and “going to a location like this can give you a critical perspective.”

You will have to pay for the program and your expenses — this is not a funded program — but as Langill points out, it’s not necessarily more expensive in Florence than in Toronto. 

If you apply, your portfolio will be evaluated by two faculty advisors. Applicants with a 70 average and a strong portfolio are all equally competitive.

Learn more

Florence Program overview and eligibility requirements 

Florence Program application form

Florence Program projected expenses