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5 Best Art Schools in Los Angeles (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

Fenris Morrow
By Fenris Morrow, Expert in Professional Services · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 7 min read

Art schools in Los Angeles range from single-afternoon painting workshops to full accredited degree programs, and picking the wrong format wastes both time and tuition. Between them, the five names here have logged 643 Google reviews, and every single one sits at 4.5 stars or higher.

Short answer: The Los Angeles Makery and The Artsy Backyard both hold a perfect 5.0 rating, at 204 reviews and 72 reviews respectively. For a full accredited art degree, Otis College of Art and Design is the only formal college on this list, rated 4.5 across 120 reviews. Colburn School (4.7, 110 reviews) leans toward music and performing arts training rather than visual art.
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Los Angeles Art Schools and Studios, Side by Side

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 The Los Angeles Makery 5.0 ★ 204 Gallery space and working artists View ›
2 Shot of Art LA 4.8 ★ 137 Guided one-off art experiences View ›
3 Colburn School 4.7 ★ 110 Music and performing arts View ›
4 Otis College of Art and Design 4.5 ★ 120 Accredited art degree View ›
5 The Artsy Backyard 5.0 ★ 72 Beginner and group workshops View ›
5 Best Art Schools in Los Angeles (2026)

Our picks for art instruction in LA

The Los Angeles Makery logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 5 days/wk

The Los Angeles Makery

5.0204 Google reviews

The Los Angeles Makery is an artist-run space in the Little Tokyo Arts Tower, founded in 2021 by David Lovejoy, Cathi Milligan, and Cathy Immordino. It spans three floors with gallery space, artist studios, and a maker space stocked with tools and equipment, plus a darkroom. Alongside exhibitions, it runs workshops covering jewelry making, mosaics, photography, and woodworking, including corporate team-building sessions.

What people praise

  • Working studios and a darkroom alongside gallery space
  • Wide range of hands-on workshops, from jewelry to woodworking
  • Reviewers describe a welcoming, inclusive gallery culture
  • Regularly hosts community initiatives like art supply donation drives
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating5 / 5
Review volume204 · 97th
Confidencehigh
Recencyabout a year ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown99% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A perfect 5.0 across 204 reviews is a large, clean sample. The right pick if you want gallery exposure and a working artist community rather than a classroom-only setting.

Website+1213-392-2611 Directions

260 S Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Shot of Art LA logo
#2🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Shot of Art LA

4.8137 Google reviews

Shot of Art LA is an art experience studio in the Arts District offering guided sessions like paint-splatter shooting, fluid pour art on figurines, and canvas painting for couples, families, and groups. It positions itself as an experience rather than a traditional class, aimed at date nights, anniversaries, and family outings. Instructors are named repeatedly across reviews for guiding total beginners through the process.

What people praise

  • Named instructors praised repeatedly for patience with beginners
  • Wide variety of experience formats beyond standard painting classes
  • Owner and staff respond personally to nearly every review

Worth knowing

  • Focused on one-off experiences rather than ongoing skill development
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating4.8 / 5
Review volume137 · 90th
Confidencemoderate
Recency3 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown92% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A strong 4.8 across 137 reviews, with recent reviews as fresh as three weeks old. Best for a fun one-time outing rather than structured art education.

Website+1424-410-5100 Directions

801 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Colburn School logo
#3🕑 Open 7 days

Colburn School

4.7110 Google reviews

Colburn School is a conservatory in downtown LA covering music, dance, and drama, with its own concert hall and a community school open to all ages. It runs free public concerts alongside its conservatory training, and its campus includes performance venues built for acoustics. It's the one school on this list built around performing arts training rather than visual art.

What people praise

  • Renowned concert hall and acoustically designed performance spaces
  • Regular free concerts open to the public
  • Reviewers describe dedicated teachers and a serious student culture

Worth knowing

  • Photography is restricted inside the building
  • Parking is limited during popular events
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume110 · 77th
Confidencemoderate
Recency4 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown86% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A 4.7 across 110 reviews for a school that isn't a visual art school at all. Include it here only if you're looking for music, dance, or drama training rather than painting or design.

Website+1213-621-2200 Directions

200 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Otis College of Art and Design logo
#4🕑 Open 7 days

Otis College of Art and Design

4.5120 Google reviews

Otis College of Art and Design is an accredited art and design college offering degrees, certificates, and youth immersion programs in fields like fashion, product design, animation, and digital media. It's the only formally accredited degree-granting art school on this page. Reviewers describe hands-on instruction geared toward landing employment after graduation, with a career-services focus baked into the curriculum.

What people praise

  • The only accredited degree program on this list
  • Strong career-placement focus cited by multiple graduates
  • Wide range of majors from fashion to product design to animation
  • Small, walkable campus

Worth knowing

  • A few students report noncredit classes don't transfer or count toward a degree
  • Some describe select professors and course materials as dated
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating4.5 / 5
Review volume120 · 83th
Confidencemoderate
Recency3 years ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown78% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The lowest rating on this page at 4.5, but it's also the only real degree option here. If you need an accredited credential rather than a workshop, this is the one to call.

Website+1310-665-6800 Directions

9045 Lincoln Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045

The Artsy Backyard logo
#5🕑 Open 6 days/wk

The Artsy Backyard

5.072 Google reviews

The Artsy Backyard is a painting and art workshop studio on La Brea Avenue, offering classes for kids, teens, and adults alongside private events and corporate team-building sessions. It runs both in-studio classes and mobile art events at outside locations. The studio is known for accommodating group bookings, from birthday parties to company holiday events.

What people praise

  • Perfect rating across every review on file
  • Flexible formats: in-studio classes, private events, and mobile sessions
  • Well suited to beginners with patient, hands-on instructors
  • Can accommodate larger groups for parties and corporate events
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating5 / 5
Review volume72 · 70th
Confidenceearly
Recency8 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown100% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Also a perfect 5.0, though on a smaller base of 72 reviews than The Los Angeles Makery. Best suited to beginners, group celebrations, and one-off creative experiences rather than serious skill-building.

Website+1323-828-4179 Directions

316 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

6

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How we score these schools

Rating is the live Google average across all reviews. Review volume measures how many people rated the school or studio, ranked against the others on this page. Confidence blends the rating with the volume behind it, so a perfect score from a handful of reviews scores lower than the same score across hundreds. Recency looks at how recently people were still leaving reviews. No school can pay to change any of these numbers.

How much do art classes and schools cost in Los Angeles? (2026)

Costs range enormously here, from a single workshop session at a studio like The Artsy Backyard or Shot of Art LA to full annual tuition at an accredited college like Otis. Workshop-style sessions are typically priced per class or per group booking, while degree programs bill by credit hour or semester. Contact each school directly for current pricing, since workshop and tuition rates change often.

Art instruction across Los Angeles

These five span a wide stretch of the city: The Los Angeles Makery and Shot of Art LA downtown, The Artsy Backyard near La Brea, Colburn School in the Downtown civic core, and Otis College near Westchester by LAX. If you’re searching for art schools near me in Los Angeles, downtown and the Westside both have a genuine option, so pick based on format first and location second.

What to ask before you sign up for an art school or class

  • Is this a one-off workshop or an accredited, credit-bearing program?
  • If it’s a degree program, is it accredited and will credits transfer?
  • What materials are included versus what you need to bring?
  • What’s the group size for the class or workshop?
  • Is there a portfolio review or career-services component after graduation?
  • Can you attend a trial class or open house before committing?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner (badge and top placement), but that never changes another school’s score or position.

How did you choose these schools?

We pulled academic institutions and art studios in Los Angeles with a public Google profile matching art education, then ranked by real rating and review volume.

How often is this updated?

This page was last verified in July 2026 and is refreshed periodically as new reviews come in.

What’s the difference between a workshop studio and an accredited college?

A workshop studio like The Artsy Backyard or Shot of Art LA teaches skills or offers one-off creative experiences with no formal credential. Otis College of Art and Design grants accredited degrees and certificates.

Is Colburn School the right fit for visual art?

Not really. Colburn focuses on music, dance, and drama rather than painting, drawing, or design, so it’s included here as the performing-arts option, not a visual art school.

The bottom line

If you want a real degree, Otis College of Art and Design is the only accredited option here. If you’re after a workshop, studio community, or one-off experience, The Los Angeles Makery and The Artsy Backyard both carry perfect ratings and are worth a direct call.

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