Art Institute of Atlanta

Not to be confused with Atlanta College of Art.

The Art Institute of Atlanta was a private for-profit art school in Atlanta, Georgia.^[1] It was owned by the Education Principle Foundation. The school was part of the Art Institutes chain of art schools. It awarded associate and bachelor's degrees, including Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees, Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees, and Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees, and also offered diploma and non-degree programs. The school closed along with all Art Institute schools in September 2023.^[2]

The Art Institute of Atlanta

Type	Private for-profit art school
Established	1949
Location	Atlanta , Georgia , United States
Website	www.artinstitutes.edu/atlanta/

History

The Art Institute of Atlanta was founded in 1949 as Massey Business College, with diploma programs in basic business and secretarial skills. The school added liberal arts, fashion, and interior design during the next two decades.

In 1975, the school was acquired by Education Management Corporation (EDMC) and was renamed The Art Institute of Atlanta. The college also shifted its focus to a creative applied arts curriculum. Located at 6600 Peachtree Dunwoody Road N.E., 100 Embassy Row, Atlanta, GA 30328 ^[3](the 5-story building was torn down around 2004.)^{[citation needed]} Accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools soon followed.

In 1999, the college moved to its current location; a 5-story building in Sandy Springs and later expanded to a second building across the street. In 2004, the school added Audio Production to their growing list of programs. The newest program, Fashion & Retail Management, was added in January 2007. Student enrollment peaked by 2012.

^[4]

In 2017, EDMC, struggling financially, sold the Art Institute of Atlanta and 30 other Art Institute schools to Dream Center Education, a Los Angeles-based Pentecostal organization.^[5][6][7] By 2019–2020, Ai-Atlanta's enrollment had declined to 814.^[8]

On September 25, 2023, the Art Institutes network publicly announced the closure of its Atlanta campus along with seven other campuses throughout the United States.^[9]

Branches (closed)

Several Art Institutes schools were branches of the Art Institute of Atlanta. These branches are now closed.^[10]

• The Art Institute of Tennessee – Nashville
• The Art Institute of Washington
• The Art Institute of Charleston

Student outcomes

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the Art Institute of Atlanta has a 21% graduation rate and a 15% student loan default rate.

References

1. "About the Art Institute of Atlanta". www.artinstitutes.edu. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
2. "Closed school information page". The Art Institutes. 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
3. "Contact Us | The Art Institute of Atlanta". www.artinstitutes.edu. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
4. "The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System". nces.ed.gov/ipeds. US Department of Education. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
5. Douglas-Gabriel, Danielle (March 3, 2017). "Art Institute campuses to be sold to foundation". Retrieved June 9, 2018 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
6. "Inside Higher Ed's News". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
7. Moore, Daniel. "EDMC completes sale of schools to Dream Center". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
8. "College Navigator - The Art Institute of Atlanta". Nces.ed.gov. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
9. Small, Zachary (September 25, 2023). "Sudden Closure of Art Institutes Leaves 1,700 Students Adrift". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
10. Cascone, Sarah (July 13, 2018). "18 Art Institutes Across the US Will Close by Year's End Due to Declining Enrollment". Artnet News. Retrieved August 21, 2019.

External links

• Official website

33°56′9″N 84°21′20″W / 33.93583°N 84.35556°W / 33.93583; -84.35556