Art Gap Year Programs in Western Europe

While on my Dragons program, I learned not only about the world around me and new places and people, but I also gained confidence in myself. My program had a focus on cultural immersion and understanding how Morocco and Spain are connected. This was very interesting to learn about, and we did this via language lessons, homestays, and meeting local people. Overall, I realized that the world is much more interconnected than I thought, and I have been inspired to continue traveling and to immerse myself in different cultures intentionally. Luckily, I have also found a global community that is like-minded through Where There Be Dragons, and I feel that after my program, I have a whole new world of opportunities available to me.

My decision to take a gap year came later in my high school career, and while my time spent at Cow House Studios was one semester, it has encompassed everything I wanted and needed within that decision. The culmination of new material, incredibly expansive resources, and self guided practices truly nurtured my soul as an artist. I felt so safe and my practice was uplifted and encouraged by everyone there. Some of my most treasured memories come from simply talking about what it means to be an artist with friends and especially all of my mentors: Rosie, Frank, Roísín, Dee, Sinead, and even Michael (Rosie's dad) whenever he would pop into the studio! :) This community is so connected, and truly feels like family. The depth of history and transformation the space has gone through is so inspiring, and there is so much care within every inch. The library, my room with my roommate who is now like my sister, and the kitchen having long chats with Dee, all feel like a home that will never leave my heart. Every moment I spent in Teach Muc (the clay studio), the darkroom, my studio, and even writing and reading by the fire, nourished my creativity and absolutely taught me how to take care of myself as an artist, and have patience with my practice. Above all else, the connection with the land and environment I was able to foster changed my life. I learned how to explore and play again, and the long walks I took exploring the fields, creeks, forests, and mountains solitary and with others absolutely reawakened my inner child. Additionally, the visits to other spaces for artists such as the Red Barn Residency, Workhouse Union, and Blackbird Culture Lab enriched my perspective of correlations between regenerative agriculture, environmental activism, and the arts. The interactions with curators and a wide range of exhibitions were eye opening and have absolutely provided me with a network of artists, activists, and community organizers in which I am so grateful to Rosie and Frank for. It was a very big deal and investment for my family to send me to Cow House Studios, and words cannot express the gratitude I feel for my time spent there. To say it was life changing would be an understatement; my connection with that space and all of the other communities I was introduced to feel lifelong. I am also incredibly grateful that Cow House offers several scholarships given that it is a fairly small family run business. (Which is another reason why you should support them!) I believe everyone should get the opportunity to experience the freedom, support, and eye opening experiences my time spent there provided me.

Our son found the Future Leaders Program when he decided to take a gap semester after his first semester of college. Spanish Gap Year checked all the boxes we were looking for, offering an experience that had both the cultural component and the structure from which to keep building on the skills he was learning in college. Future Leaders offered the chance to continue learning challenging subjects (Spanish and business concepts), exposed him to two different cities, and also had independent dorm living in the second half so he could continue the independence he started in college. The program staff were incredible. Overall, the program exceeded our expectations and we would recommend it to anyone!

Spanish Gap Year: Our son, who is a junior at a large east coast US university, decided to take a GAP semester to gain life and real-world work experience. After meeting with a consultant at Gap Year Solutions, he was able to learn about a number of different GAP options in different countries. After careful deliberation, he chose The Spanish Gap Year Future Leaders Entrepreneurship program. He had an amazing experience with this program and gained more self-confidence, especially by navigating through a foreign country. He really loved the Spanish culture, and totally benefited from the entrepreneurial activities/projects and mentoring offered by the Program. I visited him in Barcelona, and I was really impressed with the housing (clean, safe, and excellent amenities). He spoke very highly he quality of work given to him at his internship (Lean Mail) and really liked his boss. The Program's mentors and group activities were also top-notch (fun and enriching). He now feels inspired to return to school with renewed enthusiasm and has very valuable experience to put on his resume, not to mention wonderful memories! https://spanishgapyear.com/future-leaders/

My main goal going into this program was to improve my Spanish, and I was definitely successful with that, however you have to be intentional in ensuring that you are placed in a Spanish speaking internship, take advantage of extra Spanish classes, etc. Sagri and Maryam were very helpful, kind, and proactive, however the program’s instructions could be unclear at times. I personally had a fantastic time, but I think that you have to be self-driven to get the most out of it. Spain is a beautiful country, and it was a pleasure to spend 3 months here. The program has definitely opened my eyes to a new culture, and provided a good environment to grow as a person.

I had an awesome experience with this program. The month in Madrid was amazing and it was neat to go live in Barcelona. The only issue is that there are not nearly as many program activities in Barcelona as there are in Madrid. The fullest enjoyment of this program requires someone very self motivated.

From attending Spanish class in a beautiful old building with stained glass to pitching to a panel of investors on the 25th floor of amazing building in Barcelona, this program covered all the bases. We had the freedom to explore Madrid and Barcelona and find our favorite cafes and corner restaurants but were still kept busy with morning internships and afternoon entrepreneurship classes. I felt really supported by our mentors who are all extremely knowledgeable and always ready to lend a hand. Arantxa, the program manager, personally checked in on all of us constantly and made sure everything was going well. It was comforting to have such support while being in such a flexible program with time for whatever adventures we came up with. I loved this program and am sad to leave my new friends and Barcelona.

My son participated in the Future Leaders’ program and it was a great experience. I loved how the program started out in Madrid with a host family followed by two months in Barcelona where he lived in his own room, a great transition towards independence. The program is very well structured and run super professionally - as the program is new we didn’t really know what to expect but we were impressed by the dedication and organization of both teachers, classes, internships & mentors.