Cleveland Institute of Art: College of Art + Design

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I Break The Rules

On Purpose

I Create What I Love

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Nobody chooses to pursue art and design by accident. Embark on your creative journey, broaden and deepen your abilities, collaborate among a supportive community, and build the foundation for your creative future. Do all of that and more at CIA. Do it on purpose.

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I Love

"capturing joy"

—

Julissa Bruno,

Drawing

"carving my own path"

—

Nat Lenington,

Sculpture + Expanded Media

"sharing my knowledge"

—

Cullen Williams-Freeman,

Life Sciences Illustration

"overcoming my fears"

—

Robin Sutherland,

Graphic Design

"being myself"

—

Tristen Kovacs,

Painting

"discovering my passion"

—

Cale Ours,

Photography

"crafting with purpose"

—

Jaime Clampitt,

Craft + Design

"creating new worlds"

—

Kadirah McJunkins,

Animation

"designing the future"

—

Owen Gray,

Industrial Design

Do What You Love In A CIA Major

I look for a college that will empower me to elevate my future as an artist and designer. I also want a community that welcomes and supports me. Cleveland Institute of Art is both of those things.

Learn about Life at CIA

Makerspaces

For almost any material imaginable, CIA has the tools to shape, craft, and elevate it into a unique creation.

Interactive Media Lab

One of only a few at a college of art and design.

36 foot wide LED wall in the XR studio.

14297 square feet of technology, innovation and collaboration.

Interactive Media Lab

A student is welding. You can see sparks flying off the piece they are working on.

Metals Studio

Dedicated studio for fabricating in metals.

35000 feet of welding wire used each year

6500 degree temperature for arc welding

Metals Studio

A glass student is working with hot glass on a metal surface.

Glass Studios

Capabilities to work in hot glass, cold glass, fusion processes and flameworking.

2000 miles of glass tubing formed

2300 degree furnace temperature for glassblowing

Glass Studios

A student is cutting a piece of wood in the fabrication studios.

Wood Shop

Fabrication space for working with wood.

1100 inches of bandsaw blades used each year.

6200 + sheets Baltic Birch plywood used each year.

Wood Shop

A student is hand forming clay in their personal ceramics studio.

Ceramics Studios

Surfacing, cutting, shaping, sanding, turning, drilling and fastening.

5 tons of clay used each year

11 kilns, including gas, electric and wood

Ceramics Studios

A student is using a 3D printer for a red and orange object.

Digital Forming

Use technology to form in ceramic, glass metal, wood and more.

11 3D printers

3 CNC cutters, including a 5’x8’ system that cuts vertically and horizontally.

Digital Forming

Wood Kiln

One of only a few at a college of art and design.

400 + works fired each semester.

2300 degree temperature for wood kiln

Wood Kiln

A close-up of a student cutting and refining a metal piece.

Jewelry + Metals Studio

Traditional and digital tools for producing wearable art and small-scale sculpture.

265 colors for enameling.

21 soldering stations.

Jewelry + Metals Studio

A pre-college student is working at a sewing machine.

Sewing + Felting Studios

Tools and equipment for producing soft sculpture, fashion and conceptual work.

23 dress forms + sewing machines

7000 cubic-foot studio

Sewing + Felting Studios

Interactive Media Lab

Design the future! The IML is 14,297 square feet of technology and innovation that will become your playground. Extended Reality, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and more are possible. And it's one of the only places like this in Ohio!

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Meet Our Alumni

Our alumni are doing amazing things across the country and world!

See more profiles

A prospective student is doing some printmaking work in the print studio at an Open House.

February 1, 2025 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

2025 Winter Open House

Is CIA the right college for you? Visit our campus and see for yourself!

Learn more

February 7, 2025 to February 28, 2025

Back in the Dayz

Black Scholars and Artists students showcase a series of artworks that respond to the theme of “nostalgia” in their third annual Black History Month exhibition.

Learn more

November 8, 2024 to February 9, 2025

Possibility for Repair

A focused group exhibition that explores how artists consider repair as a prospect.

Learn more

Featured Stories

Read more about our community of artists and designers!

Reality (TV) check: Really big challenges, unreal pressure

December 12, 2024

CIA alumni and faculty describe their reality TV experiences as wild, rollicking and often harrowing work. They also offer a glimpse of what it means—creatively speaking—to decide that you’re up for anything.

A digital black and white rendering of our new XR studio. It displays the huge LED backdrop and inlaid, along with cameras, lighting and other equipment.

Cleveland Institute of Art’s new Interactive Media Lab aims to position school at forefront of art, design and tech

January 1, 2025

Recognizing the increasing overlap between art, design and technology, the lab aims to position CIA at the forefront of these fields, offering students cutting-edge tools while forging partnerships with like-minded organizations and the community.

Vergez ’05 uplifts Cleveland neighborhoods through Transformative Art Fund project

October 14, 2024

Vergez plans to use this opportunity to highlight community-based art by recruiting local youth to learn and contribute to his project through his No Pressure, No Diamonds program.

Cleveland Institute of Art announces $35 million Transformation Campaign

November 6, 2024

Comprehensive campaign will significantly support five impact areas that bolster the College's mission and drive its academic offerings in art and design; $27 million in gifts and commitments already secured

An animation, a girl named Wei walks dogs to a Central Park dog treat stand.

Sesame Street short tickles and challenges CIA grad

December 12, 2024

When Sesame Street asked Ashley Gerst ’07 to create a short animation for the storied children’s show, Gerst snagged a chance to add one more definition of success to her career.

Mary Beth Clough is sitting at her desk and smiling at the camera.

Giving supports arts journey

December 12, 2024

Mary Beth Clough ’91 started to give to the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1994, just a few years after graduating with a BFA in Medical Illustration.

Cleveland Institute of Art announces historic $7 million gift from the Joan Yellen Horvitz Trust

October 24, 2024

Representing the largest one-time gift in CIA's nearly 142-year history, the funds will establish the Joan Yellen Horvitz Scholarship

I Break The Rules

I am

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Start Your Application

Makerspaces

Interactive Media Lab

Metals Studio

Glass Studios

Wood Shop

Ceramics Studios

Digital Forming

Wood Kiln

Jewelry + Metals Studio

Sewing + Felting Studios

Interactive Media Lab

Meet Our Alumni

Crystal Miller

Hannah Cabbell

James Negron

Sydney Kay

Rachel Yurkovich

Aiden Burkley

Fern Haught

Davon Brantley

Patrick Baran

2025 Winter Open House

Back in the Dayz

Possibility for Repair

Featured Stories

Reality (TV) check: Really big challenges, unreal pressure

Cleveland Institute of Art’s new Interactive Media Lab aims to position school at forefront of art, design and tech

Vergez ’05 uplifts Cleveland neighborhoods through Transformative Art Fund project

Cleveland Institute of Art announces $35 million Transformation Campaign

Sesame Street short tickles and challenges CIA grad

Giving supports arts journey

Cleveland Institute of Art announces historic $7 million gift from the Joan Yellen Horvitz Trust

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