Skip to main content
Chatbot. It will open in a new tab
Summer school
    A group of students engaged in collaborative work at a table with laptops.
    NewNew

    Arts & Culture

    Expand your perspective through arts and culture in Madrid
    Apply. It will open in a new tab

    Apply

    duration2 weeks
    languageEnglish
    locationMadrid
    intake15th - 26th of June, 2026
    FormatIn-person
    For WhoUndergraduate students & recent graduates

    Make Madrid Your Classroom and Unlock the Potential of Arts



    Over ten transformative days, this immersive Arts & Culture Summer Program takes you beyond the classroom into Madrid’s living culture. You’ll engage directly with Spain’s rich heritage and dynamic contemporary scene through curated visits, insider conversations and hands-on workshops led by experts, artists and local cultural leaders. Expect fresh perspectives, practical skills and a deeper creative confidence.

    This is a hands-on experience that encourages you to see how arts and culture not only reflect our world, but shape the way we engage with it—academically, professionally, and personally.

    WANT TO KNOW MORE?

    days to start your best summer

    265days
    :
    15hours
    :
    08minutes

    Course Overview – Typical Day in the Arts & Culture Program

    The course will follow an experiential learning approach where students will make Madrid their classroom through a diverse array of learning experiences:

    • Grounding Sessions: masterclasses on major arts and culture topics will take place in the space of the classroom at the IE Tower.
    • Museum Visits: the Prado Museum and the National Archeological Museum will be some of the museums visited throughout the duration of the course.
    • Historical Sites Day Trips: two excursions to Toledo and San Lorenzo de El Escorial will take place.
    • Outdoors Experiences: sessions will also take the form of city tours and nature excursions to experience arts and culture live.
    • Team Challenge: students will respond to a global challenge through a humanities approach and showcase their findings during the last day of classes.
    • A view of the Prado Museum entrance featuring a statue in the foreground and the Spanish flag above.

      Week 1:

      • Monday to Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
      • Tuesday and Friday: excursions to iconic destinations like Toledo and El Escorial—don’t miss this incredible opportunity to explore history and culture!
    • A group of people observing a striking black and white artwork featuring distorted figures and chaotic elements.

      Week 2:

      • Monday to Thursday: 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
      • Friday: Dedicated to Team Challenge presentations and later, a fun graduation ceremony.

    Your First Look at the Program

    Play

    WHO IS THIS PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR?

    • This program is right for you if…

      …You’re a curious undergraduate or recent graduate seeking a two-week dive into Spain’s arts and culture to explore art, music, literature, design, and how culture shapes society and future solutions.

    • Participant profile

      You are 18–26 years old, a current undergraduate student or recent graduate from any academic background, eager to deepen your cultural perspective and explore global issues through experiential learning in one of Europe’s most vibrant capitals.

    Program Highlights: Madrid’s Cultural Icons


    This two-week Arts & Culture immersion goes beyond the classroom with expert-led access to Madrid’s landmark collections, historic sites, and creative hubs.

    • NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

      Spain’s ancient civilizations come alive through artifacts that connect the past with the questions of today.

    • TOLEDO HISTORIC CITY

      A medieval crossroads to reflect on coexistence, conflict, and collaboration among diverse communities.

    • MUSEO DEL PRADO

      Masterpieces that shaped ideas of power, beauty, and truth across centuries.

    • ROYAL SITE OF SAN LORENZO DE EL ESCORIAL

      Philip II’s monumental complex where religion, philosophy, and empire converge.

    • ROYAL COLLECTIONS GALLERY

      A new museum revealing how monarchy and politics used art and objects to craft Spain’s visual imagination.

    • MUSEO REINA SOFÍA

      From Picasso’s Guernica to contemporary innovators that challenge how we define art.

    • CARABANCHEL ARTIST STUDIOS

      Inside Madrid’s avant-garde scene, meet emerging creators pushing the boundaries of artistic practice.

    Focus Areas

    Throughout the two-week program, students explore how arts and culture offer new ways to interpret and influence the world.

    • 01.

      Arts, Culture & Creative Thinking

      Engage in masterclasses and interactive sessions to explore how visual arts, literature, and philosophy help interpret complex social and personal realities.

    • 02.

      Heritage, Diversity & Inclusion

      Examine Spain’s Greco-Roman legacy and medieval coexistence in Toledo to understand past plural societies and apply those lessons to building more equitable futures.

    • 03.

       Urban Literacy & Visual Power

      Learn to “read” Madrid like a text and analyze how images, from Renaissance patronage to museum masterpieces, shape public imagination and influence behavior.

    • 04.

      Innovation, Sustainability & Real-World Impact

      Connect Enlightenment ideas, contemporary art and design thinking to prototype solutions for today’s challenges through the program’s hands-on Arts & Culture Challenge.

    Unique Value

    A rare immersion in a European capital that blends curated cultural encounters with hands-on learning, open to students from any discipline and university.

    Learning Outcome

    Students will gain cultural fluency in Madrid, apply visual analysis, strengthen critical thinking, and practice conscious leadership through experiential outdoor activities.

    Program Structure

    What You're going to do
    2 Weeks
    Week 1
      Week 2
        Final Project
          What You're going to do
          2 Weeks

          Discover the program's agenda

          Dive into a curriculum that immerses you in hands-on learning. Through a mix of interactive classes, collaborative group work, presentations and our innovative media lab, you’ll develop essential skills for success.

          Click here. It will open in a new tab

          Click here

          OUR PROGRAM LEAD FACULTY

          Daniel Valtueña received his PhD in Cultural Studies from The Graduate Center | City University of New York in 2022. His research focuses on contemporary performing arts, queer theories, critical theory, and environmental humanities.

          DISCOVER THE RIGHT PROGRAM FOR YOU

          With flexible programs, you can mix and match the topics that interest you the most, giving you a taste of your future degree or career. Each program lasts two weeks and you can combine up to three programs to create a very personal learning journey.​

            DISCOVER THE SUMMER CALENDAR

            Take a look to see how you can structure your summer with our various combinations.​

            undefined. It will open in a new tab
            A schedule for the University Summer Program showing various courses and dates.
            Abstract for Tuition | IE

            TUITION

            Single Program: 3,500€

            • 2 weeks

            BUNDLE PRICE: 5,900€

            • 2 weeks + 2 weeks

            CREDIT RECOGNITION

            If you join IE University’s Summer Program for a two week module and opt in to the additional academic deliverable, you will receive a Certificate of Achievement indicating an academic workload equivalence of 3 ECTS credits. 

            Completing two modules with the deliverable corresponds to 6 ECTS, and three modules to 9 ECTS. 

            To qualify for credit recognition, you must fulfill all course requirements and submit the additional deliverable within two weeks of finishing your last module. Recognition of credits is always determined by your home institution.

            From Summer to Your Future at IE. Step into your Master’s journey

            Take your Arts and Culture experience further with our Master in Interior Design at IE.

            Take your Arts and Culture experience further with our Master in Interior Design at IE.. It will open in a new tab

            Take your Arts and Culture experience further with our Master in Interior Design at IE.

            THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

            A graphic illustration of a woman interacting with a large, symbolic interface, handling documents and folders.

            1. Online Application

            You will need to complete the online application with the following documents: 

            1. Academic transcripts.  
            2. CV (cv template).
            3. Video Assessment: in this section you will complete two live video questions on general knowledge topics.

            *You must complete all sections of the application in order to submit it.

            A person working on a laptop at a standing desk.

            2. Submit your Application

            Once you complete all sections you may submit your online application to be evaluated by our team.


            A stylized illustration of a woman walking confidently with a large checklist and a check mark, symbolizing task completion or approval.

            3. Admissions Final Decision

            Within 2 weeks of submitting, the Summer School Team will contact you with the final resolution of your Admissions process. Should it be positive, you will be guided through the next steps for your enrollment.

            A man in a yellow cap is checking a large checklist on a blue document.
            Applications are open. It will open in a new tabApplications are open

            START YOUR APPLICATION

            Applications are now open.

            Apply now. It will open in a new tab

            Apply now