The World’s Best Art Schools

Creativity does not come easily to everyone; in fact the thought of picking up some charcoal brings me out in a cold sweat. However, there are some top institutions out there that can perfect your inner artist. Here are the best of the bunch:

California Institute of the Arts (California)Due to its close proximity to Hollywood, it comes as no surprise that CalArts is among one of the more glamorous arts institutions. Interestingly, the school derived from the same place as Walt Disney’s first animators were trained.

Royal College of Art (London)Founded in 1837, the Royal College of Art has maintained a high standard in the arts world, with courses taught by internationally established artists and practitioners. Courses range from animation to global innovation design with demanding entry requirements.

The School of Art and Design (Berlin)Students undertake one year of cross-disciplinary training before moving on to specialise in one subject at this Bauhaus inspired institution. Students are taught that “art and society are mutually dependent” and this is reflected in the schools open attitude to working.

Sarah Lawrence (New York)This multi-disciplinary arts school is known for its high academic standards and personalised learning process. With a high teacher to student ratio, emphasis is placed on nurturing the individual.

Central Saint Martins (London)Recognised internationally as a leading art and design institution, CSM boasts notable alumni, including Lucian Freud, Stella McCartney and Kissy Sell Out among others.

Dartington College of Arts (Devon)One of the only arts institutions to write yoga into their syllabus, Dartington College of Arts was founded by Leonard Elmhirst; a member of the Bloomsbury group in the 1920’s. Elmhirst’s vision involved an environment that inspired and nurtured artistic talent, which in turn produced some of the most innovative and experimental art internationally. Due to a financial crisis, the college merged with a university in 2008 but its legacy still lives on in the form of the “Dartington Society”.