The American Academy of Art is an art school located in downtown Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 1923 for the education of fine and commercial arts students. The American Academy of Art offers four-year, accredited Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs in web design, illustration, modeling, painting and others.

The school's Bill L. Parks Gallery is open to the public and features exhibitions of works by students, faculty, visiting arts and works from the Academy’s permanent collection.

Mission Statement

To teach students the traditional and contemporary skills that will enable them to pursue careers as professional artists. Academy graduates will have the professional skills and vision, the knowledge of other disciplines of human achievement, and the commitment to lifelong learning needed to succeed in a global society while contributing to their communities.

Core Values

The college community believes in:

Lifelong learning:

Among our students and staff alike, the Academy believes in the importance of ongoing professional, intellectual and artistic development.

Emphasis:

The Academy emphasizes preparing all students with a solid foundation of traditional artistic skills, such as drawing, color and design, regardless of their professional goals.