This is a three year part-time course, consisting of three days a month for seven months of the year. It is run by the Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, and taught by Aidan Hart in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, U.K. If you wish to be notified when applications are being accepted for the 2025/2028 programme, please email Aidan at mail@aidanharticons.com.

Twelve students are enrolled for the programme, with new intakes every three years. The applications for the 2025/2028 programme open around March in 2025, with the first session due to be held in October 2025.

Instruction will cover all the processes required to create traditional icons in egg tempera, including panel preparation, gessoing, gilding, pigment making, design principles and painting techniques. The practical work of the students will be placed in context through studies of masterpieces of icon painting, talks on theology and the relationship of iconography to church architecture and worship. Students will also be guided in ways of developing their skills in the contemporary business environment. Students are required to do at least a further four hours icon work a week at home.( If you have any questions about the Certificate please contact Aidan at mail@aidanharticons.com.

For further information, and how you can prepare for the application, download this pdf.