About us
We build people, and the work follows.
ArtLab is an international education studio in Edinburgh and online — founded on the belief that a strong application is the by-product of a well-taught student.
Our story
From one studio table.
We started in 2014 with six students and one rule: no templates. Families came for portfolios and stayed for everything around them — the English, the interviews, the long conversations about what a life in the arts actually looks like.
Twelve years later the studio spans two cities and an online cohort, but the table is still the centre of it.
Mission
To give every student the language, craft and confidence to study anywhere in the world.
Vision
An education studio where creativity and academic rigour are never in competition.
Teaching approach
Four things we never compromise on.
Process over polish
Admissions tutors read thinking, not decoration. We teach students to document how an idea moved.
One voice per student
No house style. Two students from the same cohort should never produce the same portfolio.
Honest feedback, early
Kind but direct critique, from week one. It is the fastest route to real improvement.
Language as a creative tool
A score gets you in; fluency lets you argue for your work in a critique. We teach both.
Our team
Senior tutors, small cohorts.
Lin Bai 白琳
Founder & Portfolio Director
RCA-trained. Twelve years guiding art and design applications.
James Ward
Head of English Programs
Former IELTS examiner, Cambridge DELTA.
Zhou Qi 周琪
Head of Admissions Strategy
Ex-admissions reader at a UK art school.
Marta Ruiz
Studio Tutor, Fine Art
Practising artist; exhibits across Europe.
Timeline
Twelve years, step by step.
- 2014
Studio founded in Edinburgh with six students.
- 2017
English language department opens.
- 2019
First Edinburgh summer programme.
- 2021
Online mentorship launches worldwide.
- 2023
High school preparation track added.
- 2026
480+ alumni across 60 institutions.
Start the conversation
Every strong application starts with one conversation.
Tell us where you are today — we will map out the portfolio, language and application path that fits you. Consultation.