American Academy of Art, Chicago

What American Academy of Art, Chicago does

The American Academy of Art College was a privately held, single-campus art college founded in 1923 and headquartered at 332 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. For more than a century, it trained professional artists in illustration, fine art, graphic design, photography, and 3-D modeling and animation, with a curriculum anchored in foundational drawing skills and supported by an alumni network that included Haddon Sundblom, Alex Ross, Emmett McBain, and Shawn Michael Warren. The institution supplemented classroom instruction with experiential programs such as the Visiting Artist Series, annual Foundations Exhibition, Portfolio Night, and corporate-sponsored brand design competitions (notably with U.S. Cellular and agencies Leo Burnett and Mullen-Lowe).

Revenue was generated entirely through tuition and educational fees from enrolled students, supplemented by Merit Scholarships and corporate-sponsored competition awards. Tuition pricing was not publicly disclosed; enrollment was funneled through the Academy's website, self-scheduled campus visits, and both in-person and Zoom admissions appointments. Marketing channels were modest — website, newsletters, and phone outreach — reflecting a small, relationship-driven admissions motion rather than a scaled digital acquisition operation.

Following a significant decline in enrollments after the COVID-19 pandemic, the Academy announced permanent closure in 2024, stating it lacked financial viability to continue. The school arranged for student transfers to a local accredited art college for Fall 2024 and partnered with Educational Computer Systems (ECSI) and ADP to administer post-closure 1098-T tax forms and W-2 statements, while academic records were made available through the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Name

American Academy of Art, Chicago

Legal name

American Academy of Art College

Website

http://www.aaart.edu/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Closed

Short description

The American Academy of Art College was a privately held Chicago art college, founded in 1923, that trained professional artists in illustration, fine art, graphic design, photography, and animation via tuition-funded on-campus programs. It permanently closed in 2024 after post-COVID enrollment declines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art & Design Higher Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

akta.pro primary industry

Fine Arts Colleges (Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking) (EDAHAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)

Keywords

• Art college education
• Professional art training
• Graphic design programs
• Illustration degree programs
• Fine art education

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and educational fees: The American Academy of Art College was a private art college that generated revenue through tuition and educational fees from students enrolled in its art programs.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The American Academy of Art College was a private art school in Chicago that trained professional artists through degree programs in illustration, fine art, graphic design, photography, and 3-D modeling and animation. The curriculum emphasized foundational drawing skills, design fundamentals, storytelling, and development of a unique artistic style alongside portfolio building and career preparation. The institution operated from its founding in 1923 until announcing permanent closure in 2024 due to significant post-COVID enrollment declines.

Product overview

The American Academy of Art College offers a unified suite of professional art education programs centered on training students for careers in illustration, fine art, graphic design, photography, and 3-D modeling and animation. The curriculum is built around foundational drawing skills and emphasizes developing individual artistic style. The Academy supplements its core educational programs with experiential offerings including the Visiting Artist Series, Portfolio Night networking events, annual student exhibitions like the Foundations Show, and brand design competitions that provide real-world project experience. The institution also offers admissions engagement tools including virtual and in-person visit appointments with promotional drawing kits for prospective students. Note: The Academy announced closure after more than 100 years of operation due to declining enrollments following COVID-19.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Art Education Programs Professional art degree programs preparing students for careers in illustration, fine art, graphic design, photography, and 3-D modeling and animation. The curriculum emphasizes foundational drawing skills, design fundamentals, storytelling, and developing a unique artistic style, with structured portfolio development and career preparation support.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Educational Computer Systems (ECSI)minorOthersThe Academy partnered with Educational Computer Systems (ECSI) to process student 1098-T tax forms. Students who consented received electronic statements, while others received paper statements.
• Local accredited art collegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn light of the closure, the Academy entered into an agreement with a local accredited art college to accept its students and expedite the admission and enrollment process for Fall 2024. The partner is not named in the source.
• U.S. CellularminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. Cellular sponsored a brand design competition for Academy students, awarding $24,000 in scholarships. The competition was judged by representatives of U.S. Cellular, Mullen-Lowe (agency of record), and Marketing Werks (experiential events agency).
• Mullen-LoweminorOthersU.S. Cellular's agency of record that participated in judging the student brand design competition.
• Marketing WerksminorOthersExperiential events agency that participated in judging the student brand design competition.
• Leo BurnettminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeo Burnett/ARC partnered with U.S. Cellular to host an appreciation lunch, awards ceremony, and agency tour for competition participants, providing networking opportunities.
• Heritage Auction HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaculty and students visited Heritage Auction House in Chicago to view Golden Age illustration work on the auction block, including works by Norman Rockwell, J.C. Leyendecker, and alumni Haddon Sundblom. Several Academy alumni are employed at Heritage.
• Central PrintminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents visited local non-profit Central Print in St. Louis, touring historic letterpress equipment and attending a letterpress and bookbinding workshop with Founder Marie Oberkirsch.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC): SAIC is a private fine arts and design college located in Chicago, offering BFA/MFA programs in illustration, fine arts, graphic design, photography, and animation — directly comparable to AAART's curriculum and Chicago market.
• Columbia College Chicago: Columbia College Chicago is a private, non-profit arts and communications college in Chicago offering programs in visual arts, graphic design, illustration, and photography — closely overlapping with AAART's program mix and same-city geography.
• Academy of Art University: Academy of Art University is a private, for-profit art and design school in San Francisco offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees in illustration, fine art, graphic design, photography, and animation — a near-identical program portfolio and target student to AAART.
• Ringling College of Art and Design: Ringling is a private, non-profit art and design college in Sarasota offering BFA programs in illustration, graphic design, fine art, and photography — a closely aligned small private art school with similar career-preparation focus.
• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): SCAD is a leading private, non-profit art and design university with strong programs in illustration, graphic design, photography, and animation, comparable in career-preparation emphasis and corporate engagement model.
• Pratt Institute: Pratt Institute is a private art and design school in New York offering BFA programs in illustration, graphic design, fine arts, and photography, with comparable career-services intensity and industry pipeline emphasis.
• Parsons School of Design: Parsons (part of The New School) is a private design school in New York with leading programs in illustration, graphic design, and fine arts — closely comparable target student and curriculum to AAART.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): RISD is a premier private art and design college in Providence offering BFA/MFA programs in illustration, graphic design, photography, and fine arts — a directly comparable private art college with similar career-prep and portfolio development focus.
• Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD): MCAD is a small, private, non-profit four-year art and design college in Minneapolis offering BFA programs in illustration, graphic design, and fine arts — closely comparable in scale, mission, and program portfolio to AAART.
• Otis College of Art and Design: Otis College is a private art and design school in Los Angeles offering BFA programs in illustration, graphic design, fine arts, and digital media — directly comparable private art college with similar career-services emphasis.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AmAcademyofArt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-academy-of-art

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Academy of Art, Chicago