Hi Everyone

I’m a parent who has guided both my daughters through the DSA Visual Arts process over the past few years — one of the most meaningful (and sometimes confusing!) experiences we’ve gone through together.

Along the way, I realised that many parents like us often have the same questions:

What kind of artworks should go into the portfolio?
How do schools really evaluate DSA Visual Arts applicants?
How early should we start preparing?

So I’ve compiled what I learned into a free eBook — written simply from a parent’s point of view — to help others understand the portfolio preparation process with more confidence and less stress.

You can read or download it here (no registration needed):
https://sites.google.com/view/dsa-visual-arts-parents-guide/home

It covers real tips from experience, including:
What schools generally look for
How to organise a meaningful portfolio
What to expect on submission day

I hope this helps other families who are supporting their kids in the DSA Visual Arts journey.
Feel free to share this with parents who might find it useful too!

Wishing every young artist courage and creativity in their DSA journey

— GC

(Free resource shared by a fellow parent)

Update (Second Edition Released!)

Hi parents, just a quick update —
I’ve just released the Second Edition of the DSA Visual Arts Parents’ Guide.

This new version includes:
✓ clearer P4–P6 preparation timeline
✓ improved portfolio-building steps
✓ digital vs physical portfolio tips
✓ updated examples and insights
✓ a simple submission-day checklist

The guide is still completely free, created based on real parent experience.
Hope it continues to help anyone preparing for DSA Visual Arts.

Website link (for updated Second Edition):
https://sites.google.com/view/dsa-visual-arts-parents-guide

Hi @sunnys

Thanks for reading the guide — glad it was helpful! . I Recently updated second edition to have a clearer timeline and checklist included.

What I can share is from personal conversation with my elder daughter after her DSA round — her impression was that the intake for Visual Arts at her school was very small, likely under 10.
But this is only what she observed, and it can vary by school and by year, so I wouldn’t take it as an official figure.

Overall, the intake tends to be limited, but schools focus more on growth, artistic curiosity, and process rather than numbers.

Happy to share more if you have other questions!

GC

Hi parents

I’ve put together a free eBook that explains, in simple steps, how families can guide their children to build a strong DSA Visual Arts portfolio — based on real experience from helping both my daughters through the process.

It’s a practical guide written by a fellow parent, covering what schools generally look for, how to organise artworks, and what to expect during the DSA trial test and interview.

You can read or download it here:
https://sites.google.com/view/dsa-visual-arts-parents-guide/home

Purely an informational resource for parents who might be preparing for DSA Visual Arts this year or in future.

Hope this helps more families approach the process with clarity and confidence!

— GC

Hi Everyone

I’m a parent who has guided both my daughters through the DSA Visual Arts process over the past few years — one of the most meaningful (and sometimes confusing!) experiences we’ve gone through together.

Along the way, I realised that many parents like us often have the same questions:

What kind of artworks should go into the portfolio?
How do schools really evaluate DSA Visual Arts applicants?
How early should we start preparing?

So I’ve compiled what I learned into a free eBook — written simply from a parent’s point of view — to help others understand the portfolio preparation process with more confidence and less stress.

You can read or download it here (no registration needed):
https://sites.google.com/view/dsa-visual-arts-parents-guide/home

It covers real tips from experience, including:
What schools generally look for
How to organise a meaningful portfolio
What to expect on submission day

I hope this helps other families who are supporting their kids in the DSA Visual Arts journey.
Feel free to share this with parents who might find it useful too!

Wishing every young artist courage and creativity in their DSA journey

— GC

(Free resource shared by a fellow parent)