Campus Principal
5 Place Paul Gauguin
29930 Pont Aven
France

From its scenic campus in the French countryside to its focus on intensive, high-level study of art and culture, Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art (PASCA) is not your typical school. Students here come from all over the world to study for several months with practicing artists who have included Guggenheim Fellows and professors at Rhode Island School of Design and the California Institute of the Arts.

Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students at Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art engage in studio practice, critical discourse and cultural research. The core curriculum at PASCA consists of courses in painting, sculpture, printmaking, illustration, drawing, mixed media, art history and contemporary criticism. Specific courses vary from semester to semester based on the interests and background of the faculty. The average student-to-faculty ratio is six to one. Undergraduate students take five courses per term, and also spend two weeks traveling with professors to important contemporary art centers in Europe. The program culminates in a group exhibition at the Centre International d'Art Contemporain in Pont-Aven. Post-baccalaureate students complete 13 weeks of intensive studio work, and also participate in the group show and travel excursion. Since Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art is a private, non-profit institution that is accredited through its affiliation with Pacific Northwest College of Art and Rhode Island School of Design, undergraduate students are typically able to receive credit for their studies through arrangements with their home institution.

The town of Pont-Aven, home to PASCA, has been known as an artist's colony since the 1850s. The village has a population of 3,000 and is nine kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean. The beautiful natural setting of the area includes white sand beaches, coastal cliffs, rolling green hills and old churches and farms. The Musée de Pont-Aven is located in the village and is an important resource for students at Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art. Les Ateliers du Bois d'Amour, PASCA's studio facility, was originally a barrel-making factory. Undergraduate students reside with local French families who live within walking distance of campus, and this culturally immersive experience is an important part of the education at Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art. Post-baccalaureate students have the option of sharing apartments with other students.

Quick Facts:

Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art was founded in 1993.

Students from the U.S., France, Canada, China, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, India, Japan, Jamaica, Korea, Mexico, Montenegro, the Philippines, Switzerland, Turkey and the U.K. have studied at Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art.

The school typically enrolls between 20 and 30 students during its 15-week semesters, and 30 to 40 students during two intensive summer sessions.

Artist Paul Gauguin once lived in the village of Pont-Aven.

This school profile has been compiled and updated by The CollegeBound Network. The school is not affiliated with The CollegeBound Network and shall not be considered a sponsor of this program.