Kansas City Art Institute

The Kansas City Art Institute, for the two weeks I've been there, was a great time. Though I haven't participated in usual classes as a Student, I have been through their PCAL program, which gives me a glimpse of what It's like to be a student at KCAI. The housing is very well-kept and nice, but the only problem I have is the space given. I value my time alone quite a lot, and not even having a bedroom for myself is a big letdown for me. However, the social aspect is where it's better. Though I don't participate much, the fact every floor has a social area with a massive whiteboard as well as a TV to watch shows on is incredible. Not only that, but the downstairs area has a whole room dedicated to playing games with other KCAI members. It is a very socially liberating place and, at the very least, I can have a little alone time while everyone else is playing games downstairs. The food is quite nice here, with different meals being offered every day. And even if I don't want the special offered that day, I can always stick with the reliable hamburgers and other foods across the aisle. It can get a bit crowded at times, but there's always a spot for me to sit down and relax and eat with others. The soda machines run out of soda often though, but there's not much you can do there. The classes itself are a very nice environment. The teachers are always engaging and happy to show you through something, even if your expertise is not to their level. From the two weeks there, I've learned so much about honing in the arcs in my animation and have since flourished with my animation. Though my expertise is still an intermediate at best, I've learned so much from them, and am very excited to learn so much more over the next four years I'm there. Overall, KCAI is a great place to stay to learn about a field you're interested in, and even ones you might not be. It is an experience worth engaging in, and I'm excited to spend my time with the fine people there.

I thoroughly enjoy the art institute. I find there are ample opportunities and resources, and the efforts put into by faculty are definitely prevalent. I have much more to complain about regarding the student body as apposed to the those affiliated with the institution.

The art Institute is an interesting place... The buildings are beautiful but some aren't up to code specifically the residence hall. I would not recommend living on campus, it has everything you need to survive and you share 2 rooms and a bathroom with 4 people which is better than most places! But the building is already in a state of disrepair despite it being brand new. There are very few accommodations for disabled people. The small class sizes are amazing and some classes are intense and intellectual but if you have complaints about a professor or a class they will not be listened to. There are amazing teachers and there are awful teachers, you just gotta hope you get a good one. But I will say the community is wonderful and lively, very accepting, and there to support you if you need it. One thing to consider is the high crime rates around campus, we have had car parts sawed off and stolen (catalytic converters) on and around campus. A friend of mine had their car stolen, it was across the street from the residence hall. It is kansas city afterall, so just keep that in mind. But if you are looking for a fine arts school this is one of the best. Just load up on your scholarships!

I have a love hate relationship with my school. I love the community, the professors and instructors, the classes, the campus, but while there are things I love there are also things I don't love. Recently in this past semester there has been some controversial talk around campus involving a BIPOC student having to go on trial to be suspended because they spoke their mind about a chairman donating money to the Police Department while the school shouts BLM. It was a big thing for awhile and it took a couple weeks for the school to even acknowledge it to the public. The last thing that I'm not very fond of is that they raised tuition in the midst of a pandemic despite us not getting the full experience we're paying for.

The Kansas City Art Institute is one of the most rigorous and rewarding art schools in the United States and for very good reason. The curriculum provided is challenging but engaging in almost every aspect, as it allows students to have a hands-on experience with several different art forms ranging from animation to painting to photography. The classwork provided is relevant and allows students to create art that uses concepts from several different majors. The studio space is roomy and gives students the chance to create work in an environment full of other like-minded artists. The faculty is knowledgeable in their different subjects and are always available to help when a student has a challenge or a question about a project they are working on. The campus cafeteria offers the students a wide range of options to choose from when deciding what to eat for every meal. Lastly, while I don't personally live on campus, I've been in the student dorms and they provide all of the students everything they need for a quality living space during the year. My only issue with the institute is the extreme price of $200k to attend for 4 years, as I probably could get a slightly worse experience for far less money. However, the aforementioned benefits of attending this school far outweighs the negatives.

I love being a student at Kansas City Art Institute. The campus is really small and it lends to the close-knit community, everyone practically knows everyone else on campus. It's size is comparable to a high school which can be a draw back from some but if you value a reasonable faculty to student ratio you will benefit from it. It is located beside one of Kansas City's well known art museums, the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art which further lends to the close knit art community of Kansas City. A lot of the internships and positions at the Nelson are set aside for Kansas City Art Institute Students. The student life aspect will have you busy every night and weekend in west port with the city night life and house parties hosted by students at KCAI and UMKC.

I think the school is amazing! The first year is your foundations year where you actually find out what major is perfect for you. They explore lots of different things and don't force anything on you. I would recommend it. Although, I haven't attended yet, I already know it's the perfect school for me.

The school is amazing and very art oriented. The foundation program allows students to discover their own interests to choose a major that is the best fit for them. The program is very interesting, but the tuition for the school is very expensive.

I love it, the first year (foundations) is actually hell though. The professors in that department are unempathetic robots whose only goal is to force you to drop out and lose all passion for anything related to art. But the other students and professors are spectacular

KCAI is a fascinating place to be. If you're interested in the creative arts and want a good group of like minded people to hang around and learn from. It really is a melting pot of interesting ideas from all over the map! The professors here are really like no other. Some of them (especially studio professors) are very eccentric, but it's clear that they all love their jobs and respect their students. The small class sized (ranging anywhere from 10 - 30 students) allow for engaging conversation, and by the end of the semester, everyone feels like family. It's definitely to taste, but if you like having free creative reign over your work (and not having to take a math class) I'd recommend checking KCAI out!

This college overall is pretty great for those interested in a career in art. The bar is set high and you are expected to out do yourself whenever and wherever possible. Many of the classes will try and challenge you to make you grow your artistic ability, and the classes available give you the proper tools for intellectual discussion within the art community. The facilities are top notch outside of the living center, but that itself is going to be completely redone in the coming years, so future on coming students will have a brand new area to live in. Currently they are a little dingy but livable, but the food however made me and other students quite ill the first week until we got adjusted to it. My personal main grievance is the food in the cafeteria. While offering a wide selection a lot of days the quality would vary from, "Wow this is great!" to "Maybe I'll just skip eating food here today." However if you are looking for a quality school to push you and your abilities to a higher state then this may be the one for you. I certainly do not regret attending despite the food being not being that grand and the housing in its current state being overall being sub-par.

It is so amazing and you really can only expect the best teaching, best overall experience from KCAI. It is a life changer. I came in as a junior, and only exceed in my previous studies due to the high expectations from the professors, but the students expect more from themselves. Everyone is so friendly and communication is strong. I've never seen an artist community like Kansas city. Anyone who attends will have such an amazing experience.

it is a campus that encourages the student body to try new forms of art and get out in the world. They are extremely helpful to future attending students. The staff is nice and offers to help make visitors comfortable. The campus is beautiful and open. I love the look and feeling of the school as a whole and look forward to attending this fall.

KCAI is a school that nurtures the next generation of artists' individuality, aiming to expand the minds and perspectives of its students in order to refine them into artists who will impact their field of study. Freshman students have their own Foundations Program for their studio class--where they're introduced to a wide range of media and art making techniques, and develop a professional work ethic--before declaring their major and entering their major studio courses Sophomore year and on. If you want to jump right into your major studio courses and transfer in as a sophomore, you need a fair amount of art credits to transfer from another institution to KCAI--the Foundations program isn't for everyone, many of my friends (my closest friends I made in our Foundations class!) struggled with the work load assigned in Foundations (which depends on your individual professor, who you'll stay with the first semester) and wish they'd transferred in as sophomores, but I had the option to transfer in as a sophomore (in Animation), but I chose to transfer as a freshman and complete the Foundations program and I've grown as an artist for it. It depends on the person if it's a right fit for you! The interdisciplinary nature of our majors promotes learning from fellow students and professors across departments. My professors' passion for their individual fields made me reevaluate what kind of career in animation I want to aim for--definitely for the better, I never knew there were so many possibilities out there for me! If you are an artist who wants to develop an admirable work ethic and go beyond a cookie-cutter art career, KCAI may be the fit for you.

My first year at KCAI has definitely been a life-changing experience. From the culture to the academics to the people, every aspect has something to gain and new experience to be had. There is such a wide variety of opportunities, between departments and choice of classes, that everyone can find what they enjoy. The staff at KCAI is very diverse and each have a different way of expressing and teaching art. I am very excited to see what my second year will bring me this fall.