Formal Art Training
Students who seek formal art training usually opt for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and perhaps even a Master of Fine Arts. But changes in the art world have prompted changes in the way fine art is taught. According to Henry Madoff, "increasing professionalization, the pervasive power of the art market, and fundamental shifts in art-making itself combined with a revolution in information technology, raise fundamental questions about the education of today's artists." Institutional funding crises arising from the 2008 recession have also brought these questions the forefront.
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Early History
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The curriculum of France's Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture provided the first model for formal art instruction. Founded in Paris in 1648 by Cardinal Mazarin, the school consisted of two departments: the Academy of Painting and Sculpture and the Academy of Architecture. Formal art training was denied to women until 1897. In Europe, recognition as a professional artist required formal art training.
American History
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The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is America's oldest art school. Founded in 1805, artists associated with its early development include William Rush, Thomas Sully, Rembrandt Peale and Charles Willson Peale. PAFA reports that "the study of antique casts was initiated when the school opened, and it was the core of the curriculum for many years. Drawing from the live model was introduced in 1812 or 1813, followed by figure modeling and portrait classes in succeeding decades."
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Art School Rankings
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There are currently 294 accredited art and design schools in the United States. All accredited art schools are part of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. Admission to the privately funded Cooper Union is the most competitive of all accredited undergraduate institutions. Its School of Art accepts less than 5 percent of all applicants. The Rhode Island School of Design has the best MFA program in the United States according to U.S. News and World Report's 2010 rankings.
Disciplines
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Professional training in the following areas is available at accredited American art schools: Ceramics, Digital Media, Drawing, Fashion Design, Film/Video, General Crafts, General Design, General Fine Arts, Glass, Illustration, Jewelery/Metals, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Textile Design, Weaving/Fibers and Woodworking.
Evaluation
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The Council of Arts Accrediting Associations explains that evaluating student learning should involve two things: "Levels of achievement in acquiring basic professional-level knowledge and skills in one or more of the art forms" should be considered, as well as "the individual application of knowledge, skills, and capabilities to works in the art forms that fulfill general artistic goals in unique ways."
The Value of Formal Training
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Arts education is a complex phenomenon. According to the Council of Arts Accrediting Associations, "institutions can nurture and evaluate the development of competencies in individuals, but they cannot produce, and thus are not responsible for, the quality manifested in works of art created by individual uses of the competencies developed." It is no longer true that an artist must receive formal art training to be considered a professional artist.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit glass sculptor image by pncphotos from Fotolia.com
