Catalyst Studio

The program will help you turn your skills into a marketable product or service and build the toolkit you need to launch your one-person business. By the end of the program, you will have 

• A defined service offering and positioning statement

• A client-ready website or portfolio page

• A pricing and proposal template

• An outreach plan and contact list

• At least one real client lead or proposal sent

• A personal operating system for managing your freelance practice

In order to apply and be accepted, you will need to have graduated from ArtCenter within the last year which means that people who finished in Summer 2025, Fall 2025, or Spring 2026 can apply. 

The more you invest in this program, the more you will get out of it.

This program requires a minimum of 10 hours a week of your focus.

• If applying for the in person session, the time commitment is 3 hours a week in-person (90 minutes on Monday and 90 minutes on Thursday) and 7 hours of independent work. 

  • Monday 10 - 11:30am

  • Thursday 2:30 - 4pm

• If applying for the virtual session, the time commitment is 3 hours a week on zoom with your screen on (90 minutes on Monday and 90 minutes on Friday) and 7 hours of independent work. 

  • Monday from 1 - 2:30pm

  • Friday 9 - 10:30am

Yes, International students on an OPT visa can participate.

The program is free for those who are accepted. We will require a $1,000 deposit that you will get back at the end of the program if you have attended a minimum of 17 out of the 20 sessions. 

If you miss more than 3 sessions, you will forfeit your deposit.

We are only accepting 10 people per cohort and we ask that only people who are able to fully commit, do the program. If you miss more than 3 sessions, you will forfeit your deposit. The only exception is if you need to take a medical leave and we will require a doctor's note. 

You apply by filling out this application, which includes submitting your portfolio and getting one letter of recommendation from a faculty or someone who has worked with you. 

The application period is from February 10th - March 16th

You will find out if you made it to the second round by March 24th. Final selection will be announced on April 8th

You will have two weeks to accept the invitation, fill out the participation agreement and submit a deposit of $1,000

Yes! We love thoughtful responses. Here are the questions. 

Application questions can be found here

We are hosting two cohorts, one group will meet in person twice a week and the other group will meet virtually twice a week. We are accepting up to 10 people for each group.

Yes! The content is the same but the in-person session will have access to a co-working space on South campus that they can use during normal business hours. The in-person session will feel a stronger sense of community and support because of the in-person experience.

Both groups will have access to the Slack channel.

Applications open - February 10th - March 16th

Catalyst Program and Application Info session - Feb 13th

Application deadline - March 16th

1st round selection - March 20th 

2nd round Interviews - March 20th - April 3rd 

Final selection announced - April 8th 

Deadline to accept and pay deposit - April 30th

Start of Program - June 1st

Graduates of Summer 2025, Fall 2025, and Spring 2026 are eligible. If you are an International student or alumni, you must have an OPT visa by the time the program starts.

You have an online portfolio

You have an idea for how to turn your skills into a marketable service or offering

You are able to attend all of the sessions

You are motivated and excited for this opportunity. You want to have your own clients and customers

You will contribute to this community of practice by creating a supportive and engaged environment