Art Academy has been educating and active in the community since 1869
Founded in 1869, the Art Academy of Cincinnati (AAC) may be small, but its commitment to creativity is huge as well as long lasting.
“Being a smaller school has given us a definite advantage,” says Joseph Girandola, president of AAC. “It has put us among the very top echelon of art design colleges in the country. Our commitment to a low-class size, anywhere from seven to 10 students per class, has set this college of art, design and creative writing up in a way that really caters to the needs of students today, students who really want to be successful when they depart from here.”
Founded as the McMicken School of Design, a department of the University of Cincinnati, the school took its present name in 1887 and became the museum school of the Cincinnati Art Museum. It moved to its present location at 1212 Jackson St. in 2005 and has been an anchor in the revitalization and renovation of the Over-the-Rhine arts district since then.
Being one of the smallest four-year art colleges in the nation, students really get to be themselves. They receive individualized attention from the faculty as well as the freedom to develop their own personal vision and carve out an identity.
While dedicated to art and design, creative writing and animation are two of the school’s fastest growing majors, says Girandola.
“Especially in the past two and a half years with what has happened during the pandemic,” he says. “Storytelling, whether it’s through music, film or the act of poetry or the spoken word, has enabled us to all be together, even when we are apart.”
Located in a neighborhood full of art galleries, studios and design firms, AAC’s faculty took a lead role in designing its 80,000-square-foot building, creating an open, accessible environment that promotes interaction. It has an open-air atrium, large classroom spaces, computer labs, a student commons area, lecture hall and a Learning Services Center. The building also includes studio spaces for students in their junior and senior years as well as 24-hour access with around the clock security.
“It’s very fortunate for our students to live, learn and work in Over-the-Rhine,” adds Girandola.
While it’s been extremely successful in developing tomorrow’s creative leaders, AAC still faces some challenges.
“We have experienced a dramatic rise in the number of people who want to experience the Art Academy,” he says. “While we have an 80,000-square-foot building, housing is always an issue. We are looking forward to building new dormitory housing, so our students can instantaneously access not only living in Over-the-Rhine, but then working and engaging in their creative practice in Over-the-Rhine.”
Being involved in community events and developing strategic partnerships have been extremely beneficial to AAC’s continued success and growth, says Girandola.
“Urban Sites has been one of our long-standing partners,” he says. “They are very committed to looking at our college of art, design and creative writing, and looking at our development in a way that is understanding of the community around us.”
