ART ACADEMY OF CINCINNATI
Cincinnati, Ohio
The Academy
The Art Academy of Cincinnati is a small, independent college of art for students seeking a superior education in the creation and understanding of art. It is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
The Art Academy's origins reach back to the early nineteenth century, when individual artists offered classes in Cincinnati. In 1869 the school was established as the McMicken School of Art and Design. When the Cincinnati Museum Association was established in 1885, the school's founder suggested affiliating the art school with the museum. On November26, 1887, the Art Academy moved to Eden Park, where it existed until this year. In August 2005, the Art Academy is scheduled to move into a newly renovated facility in Over-the-Rhine, just north of downtown Cincinnati.
Students are attracted to the Academy for several reasons, particularly the closeness of the community of 225 full-time students. Faculty members are familiar with each individual's talents and needs, and there is a focus on the visual arts that only a professional art college can offer.
Location
The Art Academy of Cincinnati is about to begin a new era by moving into newly renovated facilities in Over-the-Rhine. The new building will improve the quality of life and working conditions for students, fulfilling current needs. The Academy's consolidation into one building will allow students and faculty and staff members to interact with each other more easily, forming a stronger Art Academy community.
Greater Cincinnati, a major metropolitan area, is a center for social, cultural, and educational activities; there is something for everyone. The city is the home of the Reds (baseball), the Bengals (football), and the Cyclones (hockey). Kings Island, Coney Island, the Beach, Americana, and Surf Cincinnati are all amusement parks located near the city. The Art Academy itself is located blocks from where the nationally acclaimed Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Ballet Company, Cincinnati Opera, and May Festival Chorus perform. The Contemporary Arts Center, Taft Museum, Historical Society, Cincinnati Zoo, and Museum of Natural History are all a quick ride from the campus. Since the Art Academy is on the Metro bus line, students have easy access to greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky events.
Majors and Degrees
The Art Academy offers four-year programs leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in three areas: fine arts, with emphases in painting, printmaking, photography, drawing, and sculpture; communication arts, with emphases in digital multimedia, graphic design, photo design, and illustration; and art history.
A five-semester Associate of Science degree in graphic design is available through an intensive, career-focused, accelerated program of study that enables students to enter the professional design market at an earlier date.
Academic Programs
In completing the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, a student is exposed to an integration of studio work, liberal studies, and art history, supporting the Academy's philosophy that the artist's strongest imagery and most effective visual statements come from a broad and rich mind.
Fine arts students select a major area of emphasis and supplement their education with electives. The curriculum supports the understanding and benefits of the interrelationships of the various media, broadens students' visual concerns, and expands their self-expression. The Fine Arts Program is augmented by guest lecture series, seminars, workshops, visits to private collections, and field trips to museums and galleries in Cincinnati, as well as to institutions in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, New York, and Washington, D.C.
The Communication Arts Program offers professional careeroriented instruction in studio skills and seminars that integrate conceptual processes, media skills, technical methods, problem-solving theory, and social/historical references to applied design. The Academy is an educational leader in the integration of computer technology and the creative process of art and design. Students are introduced during their first year to the use of computers for solving problems and creating ideas. The Communication Arts Program gives students practical experience that will help them to move easily into business opportunities after graduation. Students in this program encounter the problems faced by the professional designer, illustrator, and photographer in today's business world.
Graduation requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in fine arts and communication arts are 84 studio credit hours, 33 credits of liberal studies, and 15 art history credits, for a total of 132 credits. Graduation requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts in art history are 66 studio credit hours, 33 hours of liberal studies, and 33 hours of art history, for a total of 132 credit hours. Graduation requirements for the Associate of Science degree are 47 studio hours, 9 liberal studies hours, and 9 art history hours, for a total of 65 hours.
Academic Facilities
The Art Academy is preparing to move to a new campus. The space itself will be more than double the size of the former facilities, increasing space to 120,000 square feet, with state-of-the-art equipment. There will be approximately 100 individual studio spaces available to students. Gallery spaces will have changing exhibitions throughout the year.
Several blocks from the Art Academys main building is River City Works, a 6,500-square-foot sculpture studio. This space is equipped with a woodshop and metalworking and hot glass facilities, as well as individual studios for sculptors.
The Art Academy's rich history and tradition will continue on in its new home, providing a wealth of opportunities and a long and successful future.
Costs
Full-time instructional fees are $18,500 for 200506.
Financial Aid
Currently, 95 percent of Art Academy students receive financial aid. The Art Academy of Cincinnati par4ticipates in federal and state programs, including grants, loans, and scholarships. Institutional merit scholarships and institutional loans are also available.
Full-time freshmen or transfer students may apply for an Entrance Scholarship. The applicant must be accepted into the Art Academy's program by March1. Those applying for financial aid through the federal government or the Art Academy should submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March1 for priority consideration.
Faculty
There are 17 full-time faculty members; 16 have received a master's degree or its equivalent as their highest earned degree, and 1 has a doctorate. The Academy has 35 part-time faculty members. The student-faculty ratio is 12:1.
Student Government
Although the Art Academy of Cincinnati does not have a formal student government, its students have a strong voice in the arena of student issues and rights.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must have taken the SAT or ACT tests and should have a GPA of 2.0 or above. A portfolio review will be arranged unless the applicant lives more than 150 miles away (in which case slides or digital files may be sent).
The Art Academy seeks talented students dedicated to pursuing a degree in visual art. Applicants should demonstrate observational keenness, a strong sense of design, inventiveness, and technical ability. International and transfer students are welcome. The Office of Admissions accepts calls on specific questions regarding admission to the Academy. It is the policy of the Art Academy that no person shall be subject to discrimination as a student or employee because of race, color, sex, or national origin.
Application and Information
SAT or ACT scores, transcripts from high school, an artist statement, and a $25 fee must be sent to the Office of Admissions by June30 of the year prior to registration (March1 for scholarship consideration).
For further information regarding admission, financial assistance, academic programs, and student/parent visits, students may contact:
