High School Workshop for discovering & building Lighting Design Skills
July 13 – 19, 2026. In Person. New York City.
Our Signature Entry-Level Summer Workshop Empowering High School Students.
Instructors, Facilitators, and Guests listed below.
This coming summer in Manhattan. An seven-day intensive to include hands-on workshops with working professional lighting designers, a visit to see a New York show, and culminating in a public showing of the work accomplished during the workshop. This workshop is open to learners interested in Lighting Design at ALL experience and skill levels.
Course availability is limited. Applications are open to students studying at all High Schools (including homeschool). Priority will be given to students in US Title 1 Public High Schools.
This workshop encourages and mentors high school students to explore lighting and collaboration in a theatrical context. The week includes hands-on work with state-of-the-art equipment in a lab-based environment, facilitated by leading designers who serve as mentors.
The goal of the workshop is to empower the participants and open up possibilities for their work in High School and potential new career ideas. No prior experience is needed. High school learners interested in lighting, programming, storytelling, or theater backstage are strongly encouraged to apply.
Students are responsible for getting to and from the program each day. Those living outside the New York City area are encouraged to apply; however, the program cannot provide housing for students. Any student from outside the New York City Area must have a parent or guardian accompany them for the duration of their stay outside program hours.
More information and a video from learners in a prior course are here.
The Studio School of Design received a 2022 LIT Spotlight Prize for its lighting education programs.
Applications are due by May 31, 2026.
Admission is limited. Applications and interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, so apply early, starting March 1, 2026!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Who is eligible for the program?
A. The workshop is for high school rising grades 10 and 11, with a priority given to students attending Title 1-designated public high schools.
Q. Where does the workshop take place?
The workshop will take place in Manhattan on the Lower East Side. The program has qualified staff who will supervise participants at all times. All of our staff are at least 21 years old and have strong leadership skills and experience in both professional lighting and education.
Q. What will participants do during the program?
The curriculum includes hands-on workshops, seminars, and visits to a show and a working Broadway lighting shop.
Q. What are the dates of the program?
In 2026, the program will take place from July 13 – 19. The days are roughly 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with lunch provided.
Q. Is there a cost to attend the program?
The tuition, including show tickets and lunches, is $2000. However, students attending Public Title-1 designated schools will be granted automatic tuition waivers. Students are responsible for their transportation to and from the program.
Q. Any more questions?
Ask away! Please reach out to us at information_request@studioschoolofdesign.org
Location:
The workshop will take place at the New York Center for Creativity and Dance, 287 East 10th Street, New York, NY 10003
Schedule, subject to change.
Monday, July 13, Day 1
10:00 – 12:45 Musical Freethinking; Functions and Qualities of Light; Angles of Light
12:45 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 4:00 Magic Sheets; Hands-on Session: Introduction to the Lighting Console, Safety in the theater, hanging and focusing lighting instruments.
Tuesday, July 14, Day 2
10:00 – 12:45 Lighting the Human Form, Designing for Meaning; Hands-on Session: Lighting Storytelling.
12:45 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 4:00 Hands-on Session: Lighting a scene
Wednesday, July 15, Day 3
10:00 – 12:45 Color and Light; Hands-on Session: Creating depth and composition with color and angle.
12:45 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 4:00 Essential concepts in programming; Hands-on session: poetry and lighting abstraction.
Thursday, July 16, Day 4
10:00 – 12:45 Communicating through Professional Paperwork; Hands-on Session: Drawing a lighting plot and related paperwork; Advanced Programming Concepts.
12:45 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 4:00 Building your Lighting Story – Lighting for Music.
Evening: Optional trip to see “Buena Vista Social Club” on Broadway.
Friday, July 17, Day 5
10:00 – 12:45 Lighting for Music
12:45 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 4:00 Lighting Design for Music Project
Saturday, July 18, Day 6
10:00 – 12:45 Lighting for Music
12:45 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 4:00 Lighting Design for Music Project
Sunday, July 19, Day 7
10:00 – 12:45 Music Project Work
12:45 – 1:30 Lunch
3:00 First Presentation for Friends, Family, and Public
4:00 Public Reception!
Learning Outcomes from this workshop:
By the end of the program, students will:
- Use light and design to articulate the fundamental qualities of light in terms of intensity, angle, color, movement, and distribution (form and rhythm).
- Experience and Practice Public Speaking about their and others’ artistic works.
- Experience and Practice Supportive Group Learning and Critique Processes
- Create lighting designs and documentation for inclusion in a design portfolio, including a short video that communicates a lighting ‘story’ around the themes of time of day and place, style, supporting scenic elements, and consideration and use of abstract compositional elements.
- Experience pathways to a professional career through meeting diverse industry professionals.
- Create a professional resume with an understanding of college pathways and jobs in the lighting industry.
- Create a professionally formed “Magic Sheet” that explains the lighting systems in the plot and the design.
- Create a schematic light plot for inclusion in a portfolio that follows the form of a professional drawing package.
- Photograph Natural light and their designs for inclusion in their portfolio and for creating a lighting journal.
This workshop, including tuition waivers, is made possible by: The New York State Council on the Arts, The Gilbert Hemsley Lighting Programs, The Seattle Foundation, Electronic Theatre Controls, PRG, Barbizon, Mainlight, The Joyce Theater Foundation, and many individual donors.
We appreciate all our sponsors!
Support for Studio School of Design made possible by generous donors. Please become a supporter today to help us continue to achieve our community’s mission to make our profession stronger through knowledge, access, and belonging.
