Painting in Provence: A seminar in Vision

An Interdisciplinary Summer Program for High School Students in Aix-en-Provence, France

Join the Leo Marchutz School of Painting & Drawing for a five-week interdisciplinary art program in France from June 21st to July 26th, 2025. Students will immerse themselves in the daily practice of painting and drawing in both the studio and the landscape of the south of France, and will participate in weekly discussion-based seminars, creative writing classes, and introductory French sessions. Additional complementary activities include day trips to surrounding areas (coastal towns along the Mediterranean Sea and the nearby sites of Cézanne and Van Gogh), sessions in peacebuilding and the arts and museum studies, and additional cultural and academic opportunities. This interdisciplinary program is designed to connect all activities into one collaborative process to help students see more into the world and into themselves.

This program is suitable for high school students aged 16 and older. No prior experience in art or French is required; all courses are taught in English. Room and board, orientation, all intra-program travel, student insurance, books, and art supplies are included in the program price. The program price does not include any airfare. Scholarships are available.

Read below for more information and instructions on how to apply for this program. View a PDF program flyer here.

Details

Dates: Saturday, June 21 - Saturday, July 26, 2025

Location: Aix-en-Provence, France (with day-trips to the Mediterranean Coast, Lac de la Bonde, and Arles/Saint-Rémy)

Price: $8,950 | Deposit: $1,000 enrollment deposit due upon acceptance

Maximum Enrollment: 20 students (first come, first served) | Deadline to Apply: May 1, 2025

Program Itinerary

Please note the itinerary is subject to change.

Week 1

• Arrival in Aix-en-Provence; Welcome dinner; Orientation; Introductions to Aix, the studio, supplies, each other

• Drawing from Masterworks; Introduction to Seminar; Seminar #1

• Creative Writing, Museum Studies, and French sessions

• Excursion to the Mediterranean Coast

Week 2

• Drawing from Masterworks; Introduction to Painting; Painting from Masterworks; Color Demonstration and Discussion; Seminar #2

• Creative Writing, Museum Studies, and French sessions

• Excursion to the Sites of Van Gogh: Arles and Saint-Remy

Week 3

• Landscape Painting and Drawing in Beaurecueil at the base of the Mont Sainte-Victoire; Seminar #3

• Creative Writing, Peacebuilding and the Arts, and French sessions

• Excursion to Étang de la Bonde: lakeside painting and swimming

Week 4

• Landscape Painting and Drawing in Beaurecueil at the base of the Mont Sainte-Victoire; Seminar #4

• Creative Writing, Peacebuilding and the Arts, and French sessions

• Excursion to the Sites of Cézanne: surrounding areas of Aix-en-Provence

Week 5

• Landscape Painting and Drawing in Beaurecueil at the base of the Mont Sainte-Victoire; Drawing/Painting Critiques; Seminar #5

• Creative Writing Critiques

• Final Exhibition Vernissage

• Farewell Potluck

• Departure

Inclusions

• Art supplies - includes: easel, palette, oil paints in a range of colors, brushes, palette knife, oil, spirit (for cleaning), paper towels, rags, apron, backpack (for carrying supplies into the landscape), sketchbook, pencils, eraser, and painting surfaces (gessoed cardboard). Participants are invited to keep their paints, brushes, palette knife, oil, spirit, sketchbook, pencils, and erasers at the end of the program. The easel, palette, backpack, and apron will be returned to the Leo Marchutz School.

• Room and board (student residence rooms; breakfast provided at the student residence; dinner together in local restaurants each weekday evening; money given to students for lunches and weekend meals)

• All necessary reading materials

• Comprehensive travel/health insurance

• Airport/train station pick-up upon arrival

• Individualized guidance and instruction in all courses by qualified professors

• Escorted sightseeing, transportation, and entrance fees for all included visits

• Taxes, service, and porterage charges; gratuities to all drivers and guides

Not Included in Program Price: International airfare; passport/visa fees; personal items and expenses; transportation outside of program itinerary; excess baggage; any other items not specifically mentioned as included. 

Application Instructions

Simply complete the application form below to apply for the program. You will then hear from the Leo Marchutz School with a decision about your application within several weeks. Please note that your spot will only be guaranteed once we have received the $1,000 enrollment deposit payment.

Policies & FAQs

Enrollment

This program is intended for high school students ages 16 and up. If your student is under 16 and would still like to participate, please reach out to info@leomarchutzschool.org and we can see what options might be available. 

To apply, students should fill out the application form below. A member of the Leo Marchutz School team will be in touch shortly with an application decision.

Refund Policy

General Workshop Refund Policy

• If a student cancels before May 15, 2025 (exclusive), they will be refunded the full program fee (less the enrollment deposit).

• If a student cancels between May 15, 2025 and June 1, 2025 (inclusive), they will be refunded any recoverable fees (less the enrollment deposit).

• If a student cancels after June 1, 2025 (exclusive), no refund will be given.

Housing
Students will be staying in a basic student residence community in a single room with their own bathroom. There will be a chaperone in the same residence hall as the students, always available to students if needed.

Safety Rules/Protocols
Aix-en-Provence is a very safe town, however, students should always abide by the “buddy system,” meaning students should not be wandering alone at any time, particularly at night. 

Students will be eating together each weekday evening at a local restaurant and then will have free time after dinner. There is a strict curfew of 11:00 PM each evening, at which point students are expected to be in their rooms. Chaperones will be staying in the same residence as the students and will enforce this curfew each night.

The legal drinking age in France is 18 years old. Therefore, students should not be partaking in alcohol consumption during this program. Likewise, no drug use of any kind will be tolerated during the program. If students are found to be using alcohol or drugs, disciplinary action will be taken. We reserve the right to send a student home if they do not abide by these rules. In this case, all associated travel costs will be the responsibility of the student and/or their family and no refunds will be given.

Health Care and Insurance
Every student will automatically be enrolled in a group medical study abroad insurance plan that includes coverage of things like inpatient and outpatient medical care, COVID treatment and testing, prescription drugs, emergency dental care, mental health care, repatriation, medical evacuation, and certain travel coverages such as loss of passport, loss of baggage, and travel or baggage delay. This insurance coverage comes with access to 24/7 emergency assistance by phone and access to 24/7 mental health and well-being support in the form of professional counseling. This insurance coverage is included in the cost of the program. 

Communication with Parents/Students

Pre-Departure
In the months and weeks leading up to the trip, we will conduct a pre-departure orientation on Zoom with parents and students, where we will talk about things like packing tips, cell phone plans, program rules and expectations, the itinerary for the program, and get to know each other before departure. 

During Program
During the program, we will invite all parents/family members to join a What’s App group to follow along with their student’s program while they are abroad. A member of the Leo Marchutz School team will be sending photos and updates through this channel daily. 

Cell Phones
All parents/families will have the cell phone numbers of the staff members and program leaders in case of emergency.

All students are required to have a functioning cell phone for the duration of the trip. Students will be given cards that list local emergency numbers as well as the phone numbers of all staff members to reach out to in case of an emergency.

Participation

All students are expected to participate fully in all scheduled aspects of the program. The five-week program is conceived of as a whole, with each planned session and activity — and each member of the group — contributing to the group dynamic and the outcomes of the program. Attendance is a fundamental feature of any educational program that serves both the individual's progressive learning arc and the health of the whole group. We will ask each student to pledge their full participation ahead of the program. Absolutely no refunds will be given for a student's lack of participation in the program.

The Leo Marchutz School does not discriminate in any way on the basis of race, color, age, background, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, religion, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or national or ethnic origin, and admits students/participants of any race, color, age, background, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, religion, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or national or ethnic origin.

Questions?

Please reach out to us at info@leomarchutzschool.org with any questions regarding this program. We look forward to hearing from you!

Take a look at videos from our past programs!