A for-profit art school system that operated from 1969 to 2023, offering creative programs across multiple campuses.
The Art Institutes offered programs at certificate, associate, bachelor, and master degree levels across creative disciplines including graphic design, media arts and animation, culinary arts, photography, digital filmmaking, interior design, audio production, fashion design, and game art and design. The system launched Art Institute Online in 2000 to provide distance education options for bachelor's degrees in graphic design and certificates in digital web design.
The Art Institutes system was created in 1969 when Education Management Corporation (EDMC) acquired The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, which was founded in 1921. The system expanded rapidly through acquisitions and new campus openings, reaching approximately 50 campuses by 2012 with roughly 80,000 enrolled students. Ownership changed multiple times: EDMC was sold to the Dream Center Foundation in 2017, then transferred to the Education Principle Foundation in 2019. All remaining schools closed on September 30, 2023.
The Art Institutes faced significant accreditation and legal issues beginning in 2011. In 2014, a San Francisco investigation resulted in a $4.4 million settlement for deceptive marketing and inflated job placement claims. EDMC settled a $95.5 million lawsuit in 2015 for illegal recruiting and consumer fraud. In 2022, the institution was included in a class action settlement for alleged fraud affecting over 200,000 student borrowers. In May 2024, President Biden canceled $6.1 billion in federal student debt owed by 317,000 former Art Institutes students.
All Art Institute schools closed on September 30, 2023, with approximately 1,700 students remaining at the time of closure. The announcement was made less than a week prior, providing minimal warning. Students from closed schools were directed to partner institutions including DeVry University, Walden University, and Trident University. The student advocacy group 'I Am Ai' provided support for debt cancellation efforts.