Custom Study Tours for the Arts

FTI works with faculty leaders to create custom itineraries for faculty-led programs abroad. We integrate visits with professionals in your field, experiential-learning activities & sites of interest to create culturally-immersive programs that help your students engage with your course curriculum.

Your tour will be designed to meet your program's unique goals, so we encourage you to share your vision with us. But, if you'd like some help brainstorming, take a look at the "Program Ideas for the Arts" section below to see activities for Visual Arts, Art History, Literature, Performing Arts, Film & Theatre, as well as Culinary Arts.

Immersive

Engage students through visits with local experts, behind-the-scenes access & hands-on experiences tailored to match your program curriculum.

Trusted

Work with experienced travel professionals serving university groups for decades in partnership with fully-vetted in-country vendors.

Comprehensive

Save time & money working with one agent for all your travel needs: flights, tours, coach, meals, accommodations, cruises, rail & travel insurance.

Custom Tour Components

In addition to handling trip logistics & arranging visits to the typical sites, we can facilitate a variety of interactive activities. Build your own program by packaging any or all of these services.

Group Flights

In-country & international flights

Event Tickets

Performances, festivals & sporting events

Accommodations

Hotels, hostels, tented camps & more

Meetings & Site Visits

Networking, lectures & behind-the-scenes

Meals

Half-board, full-board & group dinners

Cultural Immersion

Cook, dance & make local handicrafts

Ground Transportation

Airport transfers, coach & rail

Service Projects

Volunteer with sustainable NGOs

Group Cruises

Commercial, windjammer & river cruise

Travel Insurance

Medical & comprehensive policies

Program Ideas for the Arts

Here are just a few examples of FTI's capabilities for custom faculty-led tours. Collaborate with us to build upon these ideas & come up with some unique opportunities for your own trip!

Photography student in Athens, Greece reviews a picture she took on a study tour at Zeus' temple in the Acropolis.

Visual Art, Architechure & Art History

  • Art History - Visit the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid to view an exhibit that displays 1000 works in chronological order (from the 13th century to the late 20th century), explaining how one movement led into the next.
  • Photography - Learn techniques to photograph wildlife in a South African reserve & create a portfolio to be used for wildlife conservation awareness.
  • Indigenous Art - Experience Maori culture & learn the significance of the local art at New Zealand Maori Arts & Crafts Institute in Te Puia.
  • Painting - Work with local students to paint a mural to help beautify a school in an underprivileged area in Latin America.
  • Costume Design - Visit a Samba School in Brazil to learn how costumes are designed & constructed for Carnival. Take some dance lessons from the professionals while you're there.
  • Architecture - Attend a lecture at a University in Bulgaria, then explore the country to see homes in a variety of architectural styles from the Roman, Ottoman, Stalinist & Revival periods. Also, see ancient monuments from the Thracian, Greek, Roman & Byzantine periods.
>> View Tour Samples for Art Programs
Stratford Upon Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare and a popular tour destination for students studying British literature and theatre.

Writing & Literature

  • English Literature - View original manuscripts at the British Library, from Shakespeare's first folio to handwritten Beatles lyrics.
  • Journalism - Collaborate with Vietnamese students in Ho Chi Minh on journalism assignments to reflect on the concept of truth & accuracy from multiple perspectives.
  • World Literature - Attend the Jaipur Literary Festival in India to meet local writers and follow in the footsteps of famous novelists.
>> View Tour Samples for Art Programs
University performing arts groups traveling to Brazil can learn about the national dances and costumes like this one made for Carnival.

Performing Arts

  • Dance - Attend a Bollywood Dancing master class in India including a lecture on the history of Bollywood.
  • Choral - Qualified groups can perform at famous venues such as Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
  • Music - Take Taiko lessons from a professional instructor with 30 years' experience playing this traditional Japanese drum known for its bold, earth-shaking sound.
>> View Tour Samples for Art Programs
Iceland is known for its glaciers, black-sand beaches, geysers, and volcanic activity.  Groups can tour these dramatic landscapes and visit the set locations for HBO's series, Game of Thrones.

Film & Theater

  • Film Production - Take a studio tour in New Zealand to learn about set design & practical effects, see some of the props, models & miniatures used in blockbuster films & learn about what happens behind the scenes.
  • Set Locations - Stopover in Iceland to visit landmarks featured in Game of Thrones on your way to England to see locations from Downton Abbey, including Oxfordshire village & Highclere Castle.
  • Theater - Visit with experts in Shakespearian drama & fellows of RADA (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts). Enjoy Shakespeare in its original setting by participating in a drama workshop at the New Globe Theatre in London.
>> View Tour Samples for Art Programs
Student groups interested in culinary arts can shop for ingredients and interact with local people at a market like this one before learning how to make a traditional dish.

Culinary Arts

  • Confections - Create your own personalized chocolates at a local artisan's workshop in Belgium, as you learn about the art of chocolate making.
  • International Cuisine - Shop for ingredients at a local market in Rio de Janeiro to prepare for your cooking class on native Brazilian foods.
  • Traditional Dishes - Learn about the spices & meats used in traditional Cape Malay meals then try your hand at rolling out a roti.
  • Sea to Table - Enjoy a complete culinary experience in Portugal. See the fish hit the dock, visit a market & learn local preparation techniques.
>> View Tour Samples for Art Programs
Student using her artistic talents to paint a mural to brighten a local school during a service-learning program in Africa.

Create a Service-Learning Project

In many other countries, people are focused on survival or simply don't have access to the arts in the way Americans do. Encourage your students to share their talent & their passion with local communities through a service-learning program. Professors can work with us to design a unique service project with one of our partner NGOs.