Cleveland Institute of Art

Every year, the Cleveland Institute of Art builds on to an internationally recognized heritage of excellence and innovation that dates back to 1882. That year the school was chartered as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women. The school’s first name reflects the forward-thinking views of founder Sarah Kimball, who opened her home for the first class meetings, attended by just one teacher and one student. Open to male and female students alike, the Cleveland School of Art, as the school soon became known, blossomed under the influence of a dedicated and talented faculty, whose prize-winning art and award-winning commercial designs are known collectively, even today, as “the Cleveland School.” Our mission, now as the Cleveland Institute of Art, is to nurture the intellectual, artistic, and professional development of students and community members through rigorous visual arts and design education.