Visual Arts Certificate

About this programme

The Yukon School of Visual Arts (YSOVA) offers a rigorous eight-month Foundation Year Program in the sub-arctic community of Dawson City, Yukon, situated within the Traditional Territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in. World-renowned faculty, small class sizes, custom-designed studio spaces, and a vibrant arts community support YSOVA’s Foundation Year Program. YSOVA is a unique option for the first year of art school, or, as a stand-alone program, a great place to start working as an artist. Dawson City Arts Society, Yukon University and Tr’ondek Hwech’in have designed an accredited visual arts program, which offers students the opportunity to explore a wide range of materials and mediums and learn critical theories, histories, and contexts relevant to a contemporary arts practice. The Foundation Year Program is offered in Dawson City, Yukon, through the Yukon School of Visual Arts (YSOVA). The program is accredited at Yukon University and is equivalent to the first year of an arts degree. After graduation, students can complete their BFAs at YSOVA-affiliated art schools across Canada, including OCAD University, NSCAD University, Alberta University of Art + Design, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, the University of Ottawa, and Mount Allison University. Foundation Year disciplines include painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, video, sculpture, installation and performance. English courses are specifically catered to the visual arts program and focus on how language can be used as part of an artist’s creative and professional development.