The Creative Student's Guide to Cincinnati Art Education and Careers

...for students of art, design, fashion design, photography, film/video, advertising, interior design and other creative fields.

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by C.J. Gustafson
ArtSchools.com Contributing Writer

art schools in Cincinnati One of the first permanent European settlements in America, Cincinnati began life as "Losantville" in 1788 but changed names by 1790. Cincinnati's location placed it on the path of the move westward over land, and on the north-south commercial traffic route on surrounding waterways. More than two centuries later, Cincinnati is a city of 331,285 residents in an area of 77.97 sq. miles. Attractions included on the "must see" lists of city visitors include Paramount's King Island Amusement Park, home to "The Beast" (the world's longest wooden roller coaster), gyro drops, log flumes and a 30-acre water park. For the more culturally inclined, the city puts its best art foot forward with the Final Friday Walk, a gallery tour held on the last Friday of every month.

For this tour, the galleries and shops along and around north Main Street open their doors to the public from 6 to 10 p.m. You can see over 15 different galleries including the Pendleton Art Center, City Art, Uptown Arts, and Media Bridges. The tour has been a monthly tradition since 1991. It offers great opportunities for students and others pursuing art careers to view the work of other artists and learn more about the field.

In addition to these attractions, two art museums of note are the Cincinnati Art Museum -- which houses over 100,000 works in collections ranging from Ancient Egypt pieces to paintings by pop artist Andy Warhol -- and the Contemporary Arts Center, one of the first contemporary art museums in the U.S. Renowned architect Zaha Hadid designed this new arts museum, and it is a special treat for architecture students and enthusiasts.

Those students interested in photography careers will want to check out the Base Gallery exhibits, which include experimental video and documentary photography.

Cincinnati's Arts Renaissance

art student in Cincinnati People associated with the Cincinnati arts community speak of an arts renaissance that is taking place in the city. A noticeable increase in funding, effort, time, space, and attention are providing wonderful results for all who live there. In an article in the New York Times on June 8th of 2003, Herbert Muschamp (the paper's architect critic) had this to say about the city: "We survey a metropolis that has concluded one phase of urban development and is witnessing the dawn of another, a place where people live not of necessity but because they want to be part of a future that invites surprise."

In an article in the October 26, 2003 Cincinnati Post, staff reporters Jerry Stein and Mary Ellyn Hutton discussed the millions of dollars spent on additions and new construction at many of the city's art museums and galleries, noting that "the curtain is about to rise on an unparalleled arts renaissance in Greater Cincinnati."

Schools Offering Visual Arts Degrees

That excitement and willingness to promote the arts can be seen in the educational domains of the city as well. Many of the galleries offer classes and workshops, and there are several accredited schools that offer visual arts degrees. Annual tuition ranges from around $3500 for state residents at local universities to closer to $20,000 at the private institutions.

The Art Academy of Cincinnati is Cincinnati's oldest independent college offering art and design degrees. Other schools include Antonelli College, the Art Institute of Cincinnati, The Art Institute of Ohio - Cincinnati, and the College of Art Advertising, all offering a variety of visual arts education opportunities that include Advertising degrees, Interior Design degrees and Graphic Design degrees. These schools also provide accredited programs for students pursuing photography careers and fashion careers.

interior design degrees in Cincinnati Facilities such as the Cincinnati Academy of Design, Karen's Studio, and Schain Studios offer additional arts education opportunities ranging from structured study programs to personal enrichment classes.

Other Resources

When it comes to arts resources, it is said that no other metropolitan area within Ohio has as many arts organizations as the Cincinnati region. There are a number of groups, publications, and assets available for artists. cincinnatiArts.com provides a listing of arts events as well as links to various artists in the field and news information for the arts community. Artwhirled is an online arts journal covering the visual arts in greater Cincinnati.

With numerous schools, galleries, and arts organizations, and the art renaissance that is taking hold in the city, Cincinnati provides visual arts students with an exciting and supportive place to study and pursue careers.