The Campus                               Lyndon Institute, home of the Vermont Arts Institute, has 34 buildings on 133 acres centered on the village green of historic Lyndon Center, Vermont, along the banks of the Passumpsic River. Academic buildings surround a tree-lined common marked by the village church’s steeple and the Institute’s bell tower. It is a safe supportive community of exceptional beauty.

Location                                                                                               Ranked among “America’s Best” places for natural beauty and outdoor recreation by national publications, the Lyndon area is also a very supportive environment for the arts. Many poets, actors, filmmakers, novelists, playwrights, directors, musicians and visual artists live in the area, providing an appreciative audience for young actors as well as a rich pool of talent from which the Vermont Arts Institute draws faculty and guest artists. Lyndon is also an ideal location for outdoor activities and other artistic pursuits.        

Housing and Meals                     Housing is provided in Lyndon Institute’s Mathewson House and Collison Cottage on Vail Green in the village of Lyndon Center. Faculty house parents live in the dormitories. Meals are served in Lyndon Institute’s dining room. A hot lunch is included for all day students.

Arrival and Departure Times                                                       Boarding students should plan to arrive the Sunday night before the first day of classes for an orientation. Departure will be after the final assembly or the following morning.

Afternoon Activities                                                                                   All VAI boarding students will participate in afternoon activities, which run from about 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. Activities include visiting the many nearby lakes and mountains of the Northeast Kingdom for swimming or hiking, visiting the local swimming pool and participating in team sports. These activities are optional for day students at a fee of $50 per week.

Evening Sessions                                                                               Students from all the Institutes come together each evening after dinner for the evening sessions which run from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. The sessions are an integral part of the VAI and cover a wide range of activities and topics, such as the technical aspects of filmmaking, combat training, dance, demonstrations on the scoring of films, watching art-related films such as Pollock and theater workshops with special guest directors. Although these sessions are optional for day students, they are strongly encouraged to attend.

Final Assembly                                                                                             The final assembly will be held in the auditorium of the main building on the last day of the session - Friday, July 9, for the one-week program and Saturday, July 24, for the two-week programs. All students should plan to attend.

[Home] [Animation] [Dance] [Theatre Camp] [Theatre Institute] [Visual Arts] [General Info] [Getting To Lyndon Center] [Admissions] [Daily Schedule] [Application Form]