Fine Arts College: Where to Enroll?

When a student considers enrolling in a fine arts college, a wide range of options is available. There are excellent choices in major cities as well as some in areas that may not have been immediately associated with thriving arts communities.

The Academy of Art University was founded in San Francisco in 1929, and offers degrees of Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Fine Arts and Master of Architecture. This fine arts college also has an online program, with the opportunity to begin working toward a career in art or design from anywhere.

For students with a particular interest in art history, the Sheridan Institute and University of Toronto at Mississauga offer an Art and Art History Program. Students in this program attend courses concurrently at both institutions. Graduates receive a diploma in Art and Art History from Sheridan and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto.

Students looking for a fine arts college in the southern U.S. may consider the University of Texas at Austin. Areas of study at this institute include studio art, art history, design, visual art studies and art education. There is also a Department of Theatre and Dance.

The Boston University of Fine Arts boasts a vibrant community of artists in the School of Music, the School of Theatre and the School of Visual Arts. This institution was established in 1954, and offers professional training in the arts in conservatory-style environments.

Those seeking a fine arts college in Connecticut may choose the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts for its contemporary focus on the traditions and history of representational art. This institution was founded in 1976 and offers an academy-based teaching philosophy that is unique among art colleges. It’s located on 47 acres overlooking the Lieutenant River and is in close proximity to Long Island Sound.

Just a couple hours drive north of Toronto, there’s a fine arts college set in the picturesque Highlands of Haliburton. The Haliburton School of The Arts offers weeklong, weekend and summer courses. Students studying there in the fall may work toward a Visual and Creative Arts diploma, or toward certificates in the areas of Artistic Blacksmith, Ceramics, Drawing and Painting, Fibre Arts or Photo Arts. The winter studies include Glassblowing, Jewelry Arts and Sculpture.

The Capilano College in North Vancouver, British Columbia offers diploma programs in Acting for Stage and Screen, Arts and Entertainment Management, Bachelor of Music Transfer, Commercial Animation, Costuming for Stage and Screen, Documentary and Small Unit Production, Illustration/Design: Elements & Applications, Indigenous Independent Digital Filmmaking, and Interactive Design. Additional diploma programs include Jazz Studies, Motion Picture Production, Advanced Motion Picture Production, Musical Theatre, Studio Art, Technical Theatre, Textile Arts and Theatre. This fine arts college also offers programs for undergraduate degrees, certificates, citations and post-graduate studies.

Whether a student seeks to enroll in a bustling arts community in a large urban center, or in an inspirational setting closer to nature, there is a rich palette of choices to choose from when pursuing a career in the arts.

Students seeking to enroll in a fine arts college have many choices, ranging from large cities with busy artistic communities to more secluded locations closer to nature.