Immerse Yourself in the Arts of L.A.
This year, the LA Arts Immersion trip will take place over spring break, March 20 - 27, 2027.
There is no course associated with this trip.
About LA Arts Immersion
The world of “the Entertainment Industry” – film, television, music, media, gaming – has within it dozens of artistic and professional practices. This week-long immersion will introduce students to multiple modes of working “in entertainment” by leveraging the people and places available in greater Los Angeles. Students will engage questions of art, craft, and commerce via activities such as studio visits, meetings with alumni at agencies, production companies, networks, law firms, production design shops, and post-production and effects houses. Students will come out of the experience with a greater appreciation of the many elements merging to create "entertainment."
Due to a generous endowment, the trip is fully subsidized for each student who is selected for the cohort. The trip is open to all students, both undergraduate and graduate level.
Applications for the 2027 LA Arts Immersion Trip open September 22, 2026 and will be accepted until October 16, 2026.
Applicants will be informed about decisions in mid November.
Online info session
Learn more about the 2027 LA Arts Immersion and the application process at an online info session on Thursday, Oct 8 at 12:30-1PM. RSVP below for the zoom link.
Program Cost
This Arts Immersion is administered by the Stanford Arts Institute. The total program fee is $2,800 per student; however, thanks to the generosity of a Stanford donor, all students automatically receive a scholarship that covers the cost of participation. Student participants may be responsible for some minimal on-site costs.
Upon accepting a spot in this year's trip, students will be required to sign a commitment to participate. A late cancellation fee will apply for students who withdraw from the trip without advanced notice.
Meet the Instructor: Adam Tobin, Senior Lecturer of Film & Media Studies
Adam Tobin is a screenwriter teaching courses in film writing, TV pilots, script analysis, fiction film production, and adaptation. He created the comedy series About a Girl and the reality series Best Friend's Date for Viacom's The-N network/TeenNick, won an Emmy Award for Discovery Channel’s Cash Cab, and has written for ABC, ESPN, and the National Basketball Association. He was a story analyst for Jim Henson Pictures and has taught story and pitching seminars at DreamWorks Animation, Twentieth Century Fox/Blue Sky Studios, and Aardman Animations. His play She Persisted: The Musical, based on Chelsea Clinton’s children’s book, was a New York Times Critic's Pick and winner of the Off-Broadway Alliance award for Best Family Show. His new musical The Pigeon Gets a Big Time Holiday Extravaganza, co-written with and based on the characters of Mo Willems, bestselling author of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, debuted in six cities in November 2025 and will play in 11 more during the 2026 Holiday season.
Student Eligibility
- Undergraduate and graduate students in any year and any major are welcome to apply.
- Students are expected to participate in all activities while in LA. Unexcused absences may result in disqualification from other Stanford Arts Institute travel arts immersion programs.
Application Materials
- an unofficial transcript
- acknowledgement of the conditions of participation
- three short responses (250 words max each) regarding participation in both components of the LA immersion trip. Be specific, give details that illustrate your point, and use full sentences in a unified presentation:
-
- Please describe why you want to participate in the LA Arts Immersion trip. Specifically, what do you hope to take away from the experience?
- If selected to participate, what would you contribute to the cohort? Possible topics to consider include: previous academic experience, personal and cultural background, long-term or recently discovered interests, etc.
- Group travel requires a unique level of participation and engagement beyond the expectations of a traditional classroom setting. How do you best connect to new people and environments? How would you help create an enriching artistic and scholarly community, and what do you need in order to do so?
Contact:
Stanford Arts Institute
artsinstitute@stanford.edu
