ArtsAbroad is an organization based near Washington, D.C. that provides study abroad summer and semester programs to individual high school or college students in the arts. Students from around the world in fields such as music, dance, visual arts, design, theater, film, and writing are offered the opportunity to improve their artistic abilities, tour treasured historical sites for the arts, and attend world-class performances and exhibits.
University students continue to remain enrolled in their home university and request transfer credit at the end of their program. Some programs offer enrollment alongside local students at a host school, while others are led by a U.S. faculty and staff. All programs are customized to meet the specific interest and needs of arts students, and specialized services such as musical instrument insurance, predeparture and travel advice are offered.
ArtsAbroad is a member of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and follows the standards of good practice set by NAFSA and The Forum on Education Abroad.
ArtsAbroad is committed to providing specialized, affordable, and quality study abroad programs for students in the performing, visual and creative arts. ArtsAbroad highly values cross-cultural exchange, and seeks to offer an integrative experience as part of every program.
ArtsAbroad was created by Joanne Kramb, an international education professional with a music background. Years ago, just after high school, she participated in a summer program to study music in the Czech Republic and lived with a host family. This had a tremendous impact on helping her mature and be prepared for college life, and also gave her a head-start on music history studies. After obtaining her bachelor's degree in music education, this cross-cultural experience later led Ms. Kramb to obtain a master's degree from The George Washington University in international education. She continued in a career in this field so that she could help other students have the unique experience of learning about other cultures.
As a saxophonist as well as an amateur photographer, Ms. Kramb also understands the unique needs of students in the arts. While working in the study abroad field at The George Washington University and ISEP (International Student Exchange Programs), she saw a demand for more options abroad for these students, while still finding courses that would meet degree requirements. With programs beginning in 2011, ArtsAbroad will continue to produce customized options for all students of the arts.
