Message from the President

Welcome to the Kansas City Art Institute, a four-year, independent, fully accredited college of art and design offering the bachelor of fine arts degree in a variety of disciplines. This great institution has a stellar history, dating back to its origins in 1885. Whether you are visiting our Web site because you are thinking of applying for admission, or because you want to contribute funds for student scholarships, or because you simply want to know more about our programs, I want to welcome you and encourage you to make an actual as well as a virtual visit to our beautiful campus. I look forward to meeting you.

Kathleen Collins
President, Kansas City Art Institute

Campus Master Plan

The college has completed Phase II of a multi-year, multi-million-dollar master plan to enhance facilities and grounds. In 2005, a major addition to the Irving Building was completed, and in August 2006, the new Lawrence & Kristina Dodge Painting Building opened, providing beautiful new studios for our painting students. Planning is now under way on a new campus master plan. Architects selected to collaborate on the new plan include Cary Goodman of Goodman Architecture; Kirk Gastinger of Gastinger Walker Harden Architects; and Steve McDowell of BNIM Architects.

Accreditation

The Kansas City Art Institute is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. In fall 2007, the Higher Learning Commission awarded KCAI a 10-year reaccreditation.

AICAD membership

The Kansas City Art Institute is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design, a consortium of 35 leading art schools in the United States. More information about the cosortium is available on the AICAD Web site.

Our Mission

The mission of Kansas City Art Institute is to be a leader in visual arts and design education by preparing gifted students for lifelong creativity through intensive interaction with preeminent faculty and facilities and by stimulating active public awareness, support, and participation in the visual arts and design.

Schedule a visit

To schedule a visit or campus tour, please contact our admissions office at 800-522-5224 toll free or 816-474-5224 or e-mail us at admiss@kcai.edu. We'd love to show you our beautiful campus, including visits to academic departments and studios!

Learn more about KCAI

To subscribe to ARTNotes, an e-mail newsletter from KCAI, send an e-mail to info@kcai.edu and include "Subscribe to ARTNotes" in the subject line.

To subscribe to The View from KCAI, a hard-copy newsletter that is published twice a year (fall and spring), send an e-mail to info@kcai.edu and include "Subscribe to The View" in the subject line.

These publications will keep you up to date on events taking place year-round on the KCAi campus.

View the college's annual report. (PDF)

View information about the college's free public lecture series: "Current Perspectives"

Learn more about Kansas City

Kansas City is a dynamic bi-state community with a population of 2 million people and a diverse and vibrant art scene. Learn more.

Board of Trustees

Officers
Gary Gradinger, Chair (Chairman & CEO - Golden Star, Inc.)
J. Grant Burcham, Vice Chair (President & CEO - Missouri Bank)
Herb Kohn, Vice Chair (Partner - Bryan Cave LLP)
Bill Zahner, Vice Chair (CEO, A. Zahner Company, Architectural Steel)
Annie Hurlbut Zander, Vice Chair (CEO and Co-Owner - Peruvian Connection )
Lina Dickinson , Secretary (Community Volunteer)
Charles S. Sosland, Treasurer (President and CEO - Sosland Companies, Inc.)

Board Members for 2008/09
Robert Bernstein (President - Bernstein-Rein Advertising, Inc.)
Rosana Privitera Biondo (President - Mark One Electric Co., Inc.)
R. Philip Bixby (President, CEO and Chairman - Kansas City Life Insurance Co.)
Mary Lou Brous (Global Brand Visual Identity Manager - Accenture)
Eran Cohen (Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer - Payless Shoesource Worldwide, Inc.)
Cary Esser (Faculty Representative)
Shirley Helzberg (Community Volunteer)
Joan Horan (Vice President Human Resources - DST Systems, Inc.)
Carol Hudson (Community Volunteer)
Nancy Lee Kemper (Community Volunteer)
William M. Lyons (CEO - Terra Capital LLC)
Barbara Marshall (Community Volunteer)
Patrick McLarney (Managing Partner - Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP)
C. Stephen Metzler (President/CFO - Metzler Bros. Insurance)
Brad Nicholson (Owner - Nicholson Group)
Margaret Silva (Community Volunteer and Owner - Grand Arts)
Mark J. Spencer (Creative Resource Manager - Hallmark Cards, Inc.)
Maurice A. Watson (Partner - Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP)
Katie Wendel (Art Teacher/Community Volunteer)
Marie Evans, Member Emeritus
Kathleen Collins, Ex Officio (President - KCAI)