Program Overview

WFU/Venice: Casa Artom – Contemporary Art and the Venice Biennale (Spring Short-Term)

Overview

The WFU/Venice: Casa Artom – Contemporary Art and the Venice Biennale (Spring Short-Term) program offers students a unique opportunity to study contemporary art in Venice, Italy. The program takes place from May 10th to 23rd, 2026, and coincides with the 61st Venice Biennale. Students will be immersed in the Biennale exhibitions and have the chance to review global contemporary artistic and curatorial practice.

Location

Venice, a historical artistic and cultural jewel, is the location of the program. The city is built on 117 small islands and is surrounded by water. The program is based at Casa Artom, a magnificent two-story building facing the Grand Canal.

Program

The program includes a course, ART 199 (3hr) (D), which fulfills Divisional, Major or Minor credit. The course meets for the second half of the Spring 2026 semester on campus as a regular seminar, followed by two immersive weeks on site at Casa Artom in Venice. The selection process requires an interview and permission of the instructor.

Faculty

The program is led by Professor Rudy Shepherd, Professor & Associate Chair, Department of Art.

Accommodation

Casa Artom can accommodate twenty students and has bedrooms, a library, classrooms, a dining room, a living room, two kitchens, a patio, and an open courtyard. Modern kitchen facilities are available, and students often prefer to cook their meals together in the house.

Selection

The Resident Professor is responsible for the selection of each group based on the following criteria:

• Academic suitability
• Social and emotional maturity
• Classification (students graduating SP24 are not eligible due to conflicts with graduation)
• Seriousness of the student in pursuing the academic and cultural aims of the program
• Applicability of the program to the student's interests and studies
• Majors in all disciplines are eligible and encouraged to apply.

Costs

The total cost of the program can be broken down into three categories:

• Program Fee: $2,340
• Airfare (estimated): $1,700
• Personal Expenses (estimated): $870
• Estimated total cost: $4,910

Scholarships

Scholarships are available through the Center for Global Programs and Studies.

Visa & Passport

Students need to check their passport's expiration date and ensure that it will be valid for at least 6 months after the program's end date. US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State's passport website for information on this process. Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country's passport office.

Program Details

• Destinations: Venice, Italy
• Courses of Study: Art
• Terms: Spring Short-Term
• GPA Requirement: 2.5
• Class Status: 1 semester completed
• Language of Instruction: English
• Prior Language Study Required: None
• Housing: WFU House
• Open to non-WFU Students: No

Program Dates

• Term: Spring Short-Term 2026
• Application Deadline: October 25, 2025
• Program Start: Forthcoming
• Program End: Forthcoming