Leith School of Art

Leith School of Art The official page for Scotland's leading independent art school Leith School of Art is a unique and special place. We believe in high quality teaching.

Set up over 30 years ago as an alternative to large institutions, our ethos is to focus on teaching the individual while fostering a sense of community. We are a small school which allows us to concentrate on the needs of each student and to generate a good working relationship between the students and staff. In all of our courses, we teach the elements of art and design, from basic methods and ma

terials through to the conceptual underpinning of the work undertaken. An important element is studying the work of great artists of the past, as well as that of artists working today, with lectures and seminars forming a significant part of our courses. We also believe that teaching itself is a creative activity and strive constantly to refresh our teaching, making it interesting and relevant in order to best nurture each person’s artistic gift.

⚠️ Year-long courses are now nearly full ⚠️If you have been thinking about dedicating the next year to developing your c...
23/07/2026

⚠️ Year-long courses are now nearly full ⚠️

If you have been thinking about dedicating the next year to developing your creative practice, now is the time to take that step. Because we keep our class sizes small, places are limited. Here's the current availability for our September 2026 intake:

Art & Design Foundation Diploma - limited places remaining
Figure - 1 place remaining
Contemporary Art Practice - 4 places remaining
Children’s Book Illustration - 2 places remaining
One Day Painting - 4 places remaining
Artist’s Mentoring - Applications open

👉 Follow the link in bio and click Year-long Courses to learn more and apply

Waiting List Only: Landscape, Drawing, Painting and Advancing Studio Practice. If you would like to be added to the waiting list for any of these courses, please apply through the relevant course page on the website.

A huge congratulations to all our Year-long students who put on a fantastic End of Year Exhibition at the end of June. ‘...
16/07/2026

A huge congratulations to all our Year-long students who put on a fantastic End of Year Exhibition at the end of June.

‘Every year I am astonished by how far our students come and by the exceptionally high standard of work on show. There is a real sense of energy and dedication and every student should be enormously proud of what they have achieved.’ – Nick Devison, Principal

One student from each Year-long course is awarded a prize – whether this is for work of outstanding quality, showing a great deal of dedication or a huge improvement – which this year were sponsored by , , , and

1. Art & Design Foundation Diploma – Art – Kiri Hawkes & Margot Melville
2. Art & Design Foundation Diploma – Design – Bertie Lawrence
3. One Day Painting – Deidre Payne
4. Contemporary Art Practice – Emma Whigham
5. Drawing – Sarah McLaren
6. Figure – Niamh Britton
7. Children’s Book Illustration – Hannah Francis
8. Landscape – Paul Seago
9. Printmaking – Olga Kaliszer
10. Painting & Cass Art Exhibition Prize – Sally Mackay
11. Advancing Studio Practice & Scot-ART Studio Award – Lydia Budler

🚨 NEW COURSES ANNOUNCED! 🚨 We are thrilled to introduce an exciting new line-up of autumn courses designed to inspire, e...
14/07/2026

🚨 NEW COURSES ANNOUNCED! 🚨

We are thrilled to introduce an exciting new line-up of autumn courses designed to inspire, evolve, and re-energise your creative practice. Whether you are looking to dive right in when the new term begins or prepare for the next step in your creative education, these in-depth courses offer the perfect opportunity to grow your practice.

Monday 7 & Tuesday 8 September – Drawing Bootcamp with Ben Lingard

Wednesday 9 – Friday 11 September – Research & Studio Practice: The National Galleries with Robbie Bushe

Monday 12 – Friday 16 October – Portfolio Preparation with Dominic McIvor

👉 Follow the link in our bio and click Holiday Courses to learn more and book your spot!

💫 Bookings Open! 💫 In addition to our usual programme, we are launching two new short courses next term: Thursday Mornin...
16/06/2026

💫 Bookings Open! 💫

In addition to our usual programme, we are launching two new short courses next term: Thursday Morning Painting and Thursday Afternoon Drawing & Painting the Figure. Places are going fast for all courses (some are already fully booked) so early booking is definitely recommended!

Click the link in bio or visit the website to browse the full programme of upcoming Day & Evening Short Courses, running from Monday 14th September - Saturday 5th December.

Jewellery: Set in Stone | Summer School 2026Design and make a personal pendant or ring, learning fundamental stone-setti...
05/06/2026

Jewellery: Set in Stone | Summer School 2026

Design and make a personal pendant or ring, learning fundamental stone-setting techniques through tutor-led demonstrations and practical jewellery making

19–21 August | Tutor:

All materials included

☝️ Click the link in bio to book

Maximal Minimal | Summer School 2026Build confidence in abstract painting through experimentation with layering, collage...
04/06/2026

Maximal Minimal | Summer School 2026

Build confidence in abstract painting through experimentation with layering, collage, adding and removing materials

17–21 August | Tutor:

All materials included

☝️ Click the link in bio to book

Figuring It Out | Summer School 2026Explore the figure through drawing, painting, and clay, building confidence in line,...
03/06/2026

Figuring It Out | Summer School 2026

Explore the figure through drawing, painting, and clay, building confidence in line, form, and colour

17–21 August | Tutor:

All materials included

☝️ Click the link in bio to book

Frame Weaving for Beginners | Summer School 2026Explore frame loom weaving, translating colour and texture from a painti...
02/06/2026

Frame Weaving for Beginners | Summer School 2026

Explore frame loom weaving, translating colour and texture from a painting or image into a small textile through simple techniques and material experimentation.

17–18 August | Tutor: Fiona Pankhurst

All materials included ☝️ Click the link in bio to book.

Colour Theory in Action | Summer School 2026Explore colour theory through mixing, collage, and painting, experimenting w...
01/06/2026

Colour Theory in Action | Summer School 2026

Explore colour theory through mixing, collage, and painting, experimenting with how colour, light, and pigment interact in your own work.

10–14 August | Tutor:

All materials included ☝️ Click the link in bio to book.

Experiments & Explorations in Watercolour | Summer School 2026Experiment with watercolour, inks and mixed media in a rel...
28/05/2026

Experiments & Explorations in Watercolour | Summer School 2026

Experiment with watercolour, inks and mixed media in a relaxed, hands-on course exploring expressive mark-making, texture, and colour.

10–14 August | Tutor:

All materials included ☝️ Click the link in bio to book.

Address

25 North Junction Street
Edinburgh
EH66HW

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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