Membership at the League
Membership at the Art Students League is an essential part of building your career and connecting to a community of likeminded artists. The Members of the Art Students League fulfill our founders’ mission by meeting the objectives laid out in the Art Students League constitution: the maintenance of an academic school of art, and the cultivation of a spirit of fraternity among art students.
It is this spirit of fraternity among League Members that has enabled the League and its artists to thrive for nearly 150 years. League Members have had an incomparable influence on the trajectory of American and global art. It was through being a part of this community that artists like Cy Twombly and Robert Rauschenberg, or Louise Bourgeois and Louise Nevelson, met and influenced each other. To this day, becoming a League Member is a considered milestone achievement that reflects an artist’s commitment and potential, as well as their acceptance into a network of artists who learn, grow, and succeed together.
Membership will give you access to fellow artists, special opportunities, and exclusive benefits that can help you develop as a student and an artist, including
The membership of The League is made up of longtime students and instructors at the League. Any student who has completed at least 210 hours of studio classes is eligible for membership. (Workshops do not count towards this requirement.)
Members pay annual dues to maintain their status as active members. After 10 years as a member in good standing, members become life members, and dues are no longer required.
To become a member, a student must be proposed by a current member, seconded by two additional members, and voted in during the Members Business Meeting according to the procedure outlined below.
A student who wishes to apply for membership must have attended the League a minimum of 210 studio class hours. Workshops do not count towards this requirement. 210 studio class hours is approximately:
Membership Status: Renewals, Reinstatements, Voting Status
The membership year runs from September 1 through August 31. Annual membership dues are due August 31 of each year, regardless of the date of your initial payment.
In fall of 2023, a Board-approved membership rate increase will go into effect, and annual renewal fees will be raised to $100.
All current members can renew for the 2023/2024 membership year at the current rate of $40, as long as they renew by this year’s deadline of August 31, 2023. Life Members are not effected and will continue to not pay annual fees.
Please note, the payment of the annual dues is the responsibility of the Member. Notification that renewals are due will be done via email. Please note that Membership dues are not the same as the annual Student Registration fee.
After 10 years of active membership (and upon the 11th payment of dues) a member will be considered a Life Member of the Art Students League, entitling the member to all the privileges of membership without annual dues.
Good Standing: Members who keep current with annual dues are considered to be in Good Standing.
Lapsed: Members who do not renew by August 31 become Lapsed Members.
Dropped: Failure to renew within 12 months of becoming a Lapsed Member results in a member being Dropped.
A fundamental right of members is to decide who sits on the Board of Control through the annual election. Members also participate in key decisions by voting on important issues during regular members business meetings.
Active voting status is a Member designation for those who vote or attend Member Business Meetings on a regular basis by either returning (completed) the yearly Ballot, OR by attending one of the four (4) yearly Member Business Meetings— January, April, October, and December. Not doing one of the above will result in your status becoming inactive. To restore your active voting status you will need to request a status change from the Board of Control. However, this request must be submitted no later than 30 days prior to a vote.
Voting status is distinct from, and does not affect, Membership standing.
The Art Students League of New York is governed by the Board of Control, which is annually elected by the membership. If you are a member in good standing of the League and are interested in serving on the League’s Board of Control, please fill out this form.
When your form is received, a member of the Board of Control Search Committee will contact you to arrange for an opportunity for you to discuss your interests with a current Board member.
We thank you for your interest in serving The League through Board membership.