Over past summers, the Avenue Road Arts School has hosted international students from Greece, Japan, Turkey, Monaco, the UK and the US. These students discovered us through the School's impressive website and word of mouth.

While the Arts School continues to be the creative home many Toronto-based students, this year the School has noted an increase in students traveling from further and further afield to attend fall, winter & spring classes. Here's where our students come from:

• Aurora
• Etobicoke
• Huntsville
• King City
• London
• Markham
• Milton
• Newmarket
• Orangeville
• Oshawa
• Pickering
• Richmond Hill
• St. Catherines
• Scarborough
• Thornhill
• Willowdale
• Woodbridge

Come to the Avenue Road Arts
School's annual Art Discovery Day.

Where: At the School
When: Sunday, June 3, 2007
Time: 1 pm to 4 pm

This free, hands-on arts event will be jam-packed with activities for children – and demonstrations and lectures for adults. It's a terrific opportunity to meet instructors, and make and talk art!

This will be a convenient opportunity to register for 2007-2008 programs.

Watch for a schedule of events soon to be posted in the Upcoming Events section.

From July 3 to August 31, toddlers, children, teens and adults can experience the best summer journey ever, right here in the city!

Charlotte's Web Arts Camps have both full and half-day, as well as one and two week options.

Adults can choose from a wide range of classes from Realism in Painting to Landscapes to Abstract Art.

Children and Teens enjoy enriching and fun classes like Architecture, Pottery and Acting for Film & TV.

To view all the programs and to register, visit the Summer Program section.

Creating art provides joy to the artist. Exhibiting art expands that joy to the viewer. On June 19th & 20th, the Avenue Road Arts School will celebrate the accomplishments of its adult students with a show entitled: 460 Degrees of the Avenue Road Arts School. The exhibit will feature the work of both novice and more accomplished artists.

460 Degrees will include drawings, portraits, figure paintings, landscapes, abstracts, watercolours and ceramic sculptures. The philosophy of the School has always been to provide a place where students can develop and advance their artistic skills in a supportive and relaxed environment. The works on display have been created under the guidance of ARAS's professional and nurturing faculty.

The Arts School has gained a reputation as a respected arts centre both in the community and throughout the GTA. Adult students have reported that they choose to study at the Arts School because of the diversity in programming, the high quality instruction, and the friendly and unique homey feeling of the Victorian house. With over 60 courses to choose from and 18 adult program instructors, participants can take either a contemporary or classical approach.

This show salutes the work of these burgeoning artists, as well as the caring, professional artist/instructors who train them.

Reception: Tuesday, June 19, 6 to 8 pm
Also Showing: Wednesday, June 20, 5 to 8 pm
Where: The Women's Art Association Gallery
Address: 23 Prince Arthur Avenue

For more information, watch the Upcoming Events page.

The Avenue Road Arts School would like to thank its students and faculty for the survey feedback and suggestions made over the fall and winter terms. Here are some improvements made to enhance everyone's experience at the School:

• New easels for many of the studios
• Better lighting in the basement studio
• Stabilized heating system
• Improved ventilation fan set-up in the first floor studio

The Arts School will continue to improve the facility and equipment. We welcome your input. Please e-mail us your comments: comments@avenueroadartsschool.com.

Most young people begin to discover the interests and passions that will stay with them throughout their lives as pre- and early teens. For students in the ARAS Young Drama and Musical Theatre Companies, the art of performance is surely a driving force, which motivates every member to find his or her place on the stage. The School's Advanced Theatre Programs offer professional training to young people, as well as the opportunity to participate in the creation and performance of two shows that are premiered annually in first-class venues around Toronto.

For Lori Ossip and Asher Selznick – both having acted in school plays or community theatre – the chance to take part in the Advanced Theatre Programs has imparted a new sense of confidence and accomplishment. The classes have helped them hone their skills and learn new techniques.

Both Lori and Asher are able to relate their lives offstage to the experiences they have had in the program. For Lori, who overcame shyness at an early age because of her love of theatre, the ARAS Musical Theatre Company has provided her with a great group of friends that share her interests in dance, drama and voice. For Asher, his favourite role as the "new kid" in the ARAS Young Company's latest show Changes, was close to his real life. In creating his character, Asher drew upon his own feelings as a student in a new school – this technique is employed by actors nearly twice his age.

While unsure if they plan to pursue acting as a profession, both Asher and Lori have advice for any young people who are contemplating auditioning for the Advanced Theatre Programs at the Avenue Road Arts School. "Just do it," says Asher. "AUDITION," says Lori, taking care to mention that the word should appear in capital letters.

For more information or to book an audition, please e-mail: daniella@avenueroadartsschool.com.