10 Best Art Schools in Canada

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Best Art Schools in Canada
Best Art Schools in Canada

Art is overly distinctive and embraces many activities that entail creativity to express beauty, power, proficiency, and ideas.

Intermittently, art has been revamped from just being the traditional drawing and painting only to include animations, designs such as interior and fashion, visual arts, and many more that are gradually being noticed.

Because of these, art has become more marketable globally with people looking out for professional works of art. Hence it has become one of the major courses in many universities.

For most students, searching for the best schools to hone their art skills has become challenging. Nevertheless, here are a number of the best art schools in Canada.

CANADIAN ARTS

Canadian art refers to visual arts  (that includes painting, photography, and printmaking) as well as plastic arts (such as sculpture) starting from the geographical area of modern Canada.

Art in Canada has been distinguished by thousands of years of habitation by indigenous people followed by waves of immigration that includes artists from European origins and latterly by artists with a legacy from countries around the globe. The unique nature of Canadian art reflects these diverse origins, as artists have adopted their traditions and are accustomed to them. This influences the reality of their lives in Canada.

In addition, Sculpture and handicrafts have been in existence since Canada’s primitive history, although it was recognized in the 20th century by museums and scholars which began to take note of prominent works of art like the stone carvings of the Inuit and the totem-pole carvings of the Northwest Coast fundamental people.

Moreso, artistic creation is often an expression of the merits of Canadian art which includes free expression, cultural democracy, and other issues that evolve Canadians and the global society.

Thus, 95 percent of international students suggest Canada as a study destination. This is due to the fact that Canada boasts of the world’s most recognized post-secondary institution that promotes strong research, industry connections, and creativity.

Therefore, international students make up a substantial portion of the art and design colleges and universities in Canada.

TEN BEST ART SCHOOLS IN CANADA

Below is a list of the best art schools in Canada:

10 Best Art Schools in Canada

1. Alberta University of the Arts

The Alberta University of the Arts is known as a world-class public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada which was established in 1973. It is ranked among the best universities that offer art and design courses and one of the best art universities in Canada.

The art and design department at the University entails three learning courses; Fine Art, Design Studies, and Art, Design, and Visual History. AU arts possesses lots of cultural and art venues and events, which makes it a good place for studying art.

Also, they bring the world’s skilled minds to discuss with students and conduct workshops. One of the prominent alumni of the University is Joni Mitchell. Alberta university Art offers Bachelor’s degrees in:

  • Media Arts,
  • Painting and Printing,
  • Jewelry and Metals,
  • Glass,
  • Photography,
  • Drawing, and Visual communication.

Students aspiring for this degree can do so on either a full-time or a part-time basis.

In addition, aside from the Bachelor of art degree, another degree that AU Arts offers is the Bachelor of Design (BDes) degree. This degree is presented in the majors of Photography and Visual Communication. Both majors are full-time 4-year courses, by virtue of this, they both have some evening classes.

The University is among the average fee-paying for international students tuition fees is about $13,792 per year while for students in Canada costs $4,356.

However, The University of Alberta offers millions of dollars in awards and scholarships to international students every year. You can get scholarships to join the school through Bursaries and Academic Performance.

2. Emily Carr University of Art and Design

The University is a public university located in Vancouver, Canada. It was founded in 1925 and recognized as the first university in British Columbia to affirm specific Degrees for performing and visual art students.

Emily Carr University(ECU) has been placed among the top 50 universities globally and the best art and design University in Canada in Art according to the QS World University Rankings.

Aside from Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, Emily Carr University also offers a Bachelor of Design (BDes) degree, and it is offered in the majors of communication design, industrial design, and interaction design.

Furthermore, ECU offers a good number of scholarships such as tuition and entrance scholarships, funding for undergraduate students, external scholarships, and so on. The tuition fee costs about 2,265 CAD for Canadian students and 7,322.7 CAD for international students.

3. Concordia University Department of Visual Arts

Concordia University is located in Montreal, Canada, and was founded in 1974. It was formed through a merger of two institutions, Loyola College and Sir George Williams University. The Department of Fine Art offers a wide range of courses hence it is regarded among the best university to study art in Canada.

Concordia is one of the world’s best universities to study art and design. According to the 2018 QS World University Rankings by Subject (WURS), Concordia was ranked among the top 100 art and design universities.

They offer Bachelor’s Degrees in:

  • Computation Art
  • Film (Animation, and Production)
  • Visual Arts
  • Music
  • Print Media
  • Design
  • Contemporary Dance
  • Creative Arts Therapy
  • Sculpture
  • Fiber and Material Practices.

In addition, Concordia University offers a Master’s degree in, Studio Arts, Design, Drama, and Film and Doctorate in Art Education, Art History, and Film.

Concordia University’s fee depends on each program. Scholarships and bursaries are offered to a few students, so you can be on the lookout. They give opportunities to explore your ideas and be creative.

Concordia University also provides manufacturing and technical facilities to bring your ideas into the limelight.

Their Tuition Fee (Annually): is $3,600 (Canadian students), and $19,390 (international students; for 3 terms).

4. Yukon school of visual arts

The Yukon School of Visual Arts is the only northern school in Canada that offers art programs. It was founded in 1988. It is located in Dawson City, Yukon.

The university is ranked third in research intensity among all Canadian colleges according to the newly released Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges by Research Infosource Inc.

Yukon is known for serving as a base for research and offering vocational training and trade programs. The University’s Popular Program offers a Foundation Year Program, which is equal to the first year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA).

This means that when the students are through with their first year at SOVA, they can then finish their degrees by picking their choice of the four partnering art schools across Canada. These four are the OCAD, the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, AU Arts, and the NSCAD.

Furthermore, the Foundation Year Program consists of six studio studies courses and four liberal studies courses. In addition, they also offer popular programs such as:

  •  Diploma in Liberal arts (duration 2 years )
  • Diploma in Aviation Management (duration 2 years)
  • Bachelor of Business Administration(duration 4 years)
  • Diploma in General Studies(duration 2 years)
  •  Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Governance(duration 4 years)
  • Certificate in Office Administration

Their tuition fee ranges from $400 -$5,200 depending on your choice of program. Yukon also offers financial award programs that support educational and living costs.

However, this scholarship is offered to participants who want to be part of the university but face financial difficulties. An amount of $1000 award is offered to students enrolled full-time in a visual arts program at Yukon University.

5. Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU)

Ontario College of Art and Design University is an art and design institution situated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the oldest and largest art and design university in Canada

They are known as the world-famous hub for art, design, digital media, research, innovation, and creativity. OCAD University ranks as the 151st best art and design university in the world according to the 2017 QS World University Ranking.

Of all the art institutes in Canada, the Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U) is the only one that offers the widest variety of arts and design programs.

Ontario college offers five degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Design (BDes), Master of Arts (MA), Master of Fine Arts (MFA), and Master of Design (MDes).

OCAD University offers BFA majors offers the following:

  • drawing and painting
  • printmaking
  • photography
  • integrated media
  • criticism and curatorial practice.

As for BDes, the majors are material art and design, advertising, industrial design, graphic design, illustration, and environmental design. And then for graduate degrees, OCAD offers:

  • Masters in Art
  • Media, and Design
  • Advertising
  • Contemporary Art
  • Design, and New Media
  • Art Histories
  • Digital Futures
  • Strategic Foresight, and Innovation
  • Design
  • Criticism and Curatorial Practice.

The average cost for domestic tuition is 6,092 CAD and 15,920 for international tuition. However, scholarships are offered at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year levels in Faculties of Art, Design, Liberal Arts & Sciences, and School of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Furthermore, scholarships are given as tuition credits before the start of a new academic year. Students are not required to apply but will be selected based on their excellent academic achievement in their respective programs of study. The scholarship may be one-time or renewable depending on the student’s work.

Scholarships are given at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year levels in Faculties of Art, Design, Liberal Arts & Sciences, and the School of Interdisciplinary Studies.

The Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U) is Canada’s best-known and largest art school and is located in Toronto. (Should be at the beginning of the description).

6. Nova Scotia College of Art and Design

Nova Scotia was founded way back in 1887. It is ranked 80 among the top universities. NSCAD is known to be one of the best Art schools in Canada. It is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The College (NSCAD), offers three undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Design (BDes), and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). These degrees usually take four years to study, and they require two semesters of foundation studies.

There are five main areas of undergraduate study:

  • Crafts: textiles, ceramics, jewelry design, and metalsmithing.
  • Design: interdisciplinary design, digital design, graphic design, and product design.
  • Fine art: painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture.
  • Historical and critical studies: the history of art, liberal arts, English, and other critical analysis courses.
  • Media arts: photography, film, and intermedia.

Apart from the degrees, the university also offers certificate programs: the Visual Arts Certificate in Studio and the Visual Arts Certificate for Teachers.

NSCAD tuition costs about$ 7,807-$ 9,030 for Canadian students and $20,230-$20,42 for international students.

The university offers entrance scholarships to students that have financial difficulties. Additionally, they provide over 90 internal scholarships to successful aspirants every academic year.

7. The New Brunswick College of Craft & Design(NBCCD)

New Brunswick College of craft and design is a unique kind of art school that solely focuses on fine craft and design. The college started in 1938 and became officially became an Art school in 1950. It is located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

With 80 years of history behind its curriculum, the institute’s Diploma and Certificate programs bring a firm foundation for professional practice. NBCCD provides many opportunities for connections between the community and the students.

The New Brunswick College of Craft and Design offers diploma programs that bring excellence into the limelight in the creation of fine craft and applied design. However, this program also brings excellence into the limelight and focuses on entrepreneurship.

(NBCCD) is one of the best art schools in Canada that provides a wide variety of study programs that ranges from traditional craft studios to contemporary digital design and the Aboriginal Visual Art Program.

They offer a range of programs that includes; a 1-year Certificate program in foundational Visual Arts and Studio Practice, 2-Year Diploma in Fashion Design, Ceramics, Graphic Design, Photography, Textile, Wabanaki Visual Arts, and Jewellery & Metal Arts, and a 4-Year Bachelor Degree of Applied Arts.

NBCCD students are opportune to enjoy professional studios, small class sizes that enable one-on-one mentoring, labs, and a broad library with just 300 students.

The New Brunswick College of Craft and Design provides excellent basics for professional practices well as personal development, helping students to find their special creative skill and passion that is built into a distinguished career.

Furthermore, NBCCD gives financial support to part-time and full-time students who are willing to study in the institution such as renewed tuition bursaries,
The New Brunswick Community College Foundation Awards, and some others.

Tuition Fee (Full-Time): around $1,000 (Canadian students), $6,630 (international students).

8. Ottawa School of Art

The Ottawa School of Art is situated in downtown Ontario.

The University of Ottawa ranked 162 according to QS World University Rankings and has an overall score of 4.0 stars according to the most recent student reviews.

In addition, the University of Ottawa is ranked #199 in Best Global Universities.

Ottawa school of arts offers a 1-Year Certificate Program, 3-Year Diploma, General Interest Courses, and Art Camps.

The major art courses that the school offers include life drawing, landscape painting, photography, ceramics, sculpture, lithography, watercolor, etching, printmaking, and many more.

In addition, the school provides space for exhibitions and a boutique for the presentation and sale of artwork by local artists and students

9.  Sheridan College of Art

Sheridan College was founded in 1967 and is located in Oakville, Ontario. The school has grown from being a local college of 400 students to one of Ontario’s leading postsecondary institutions in Canada. Also, it is one of the best art schools in Canada.
As an award-winning institution, Sheridan attracts students from across Canada and around the world.

Sheridan College has 210,000+ alumni that play a critical role in shaping the future of
society in the fields of arts. Its Faculty of Animation, Arts, and Design is widely known for its extensive programs. It is among the largest schools of Art in Canada.

They offer 18 Bachelor’s Degrees,3 Certificates, 7 Diplomas, and 10 Graduate Certificates. The school offers five programs illustration & Photography, Film TV and Journalism, Visual & Performing Arts, Animation and Game Design, and Material Art and Design.

Sheridan’s college tuition fee costs $1,350 for Canadian Students are $7,638 for International Students.

Furthermore, to assist students, the school offers a series of financial assistance to aspirants who aim to study at Sheridan. The school offers degree entrance scholarships, bursaries, and so on.

10. The George Brown College 

The George Brown College of Arts and Design (GBC)is located in Toronto, Ontario. It was established in 1967.

The college is the first college to start a distance education system. Presently, it has over 15,000 distance education students worldwide.

GBC is divided into three schools: Art and Design, Fashion & Jewelry, and Media & Performing Arts. The School of Fashion and Jewelry offers Certificate and diploma programs.

School of Design offers Certificates, Diplomas, and Undergraduate in Game Art and Design. The School of Media &Performing Art offers three courses; Dance, Media, and Theater.

In addition, all three schools offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs in a series of design disciplines such as interdisciplinary design strategy, games design, and advanced digital design.

GBC awards scholarships such as degree scholarships, EAP scholarships, and bursaries to students. The annual tuition fee is approximately $19,646 for Canadians and $26,350 for international students.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How much does it cost to study art in Canada?

It costs about 17,500 CAD to 52,000 CAD per annum in Canadian art universities.

Is Canada a good place to study art?

95 percent of international students suggest Canada as a study destination. This is because Canada boasts as the country with world-recognized post-secondary institutions that provide strong research, industry connections, and creativity.

What is the best art school in Canada?

Alberta university of arts is the best art school in Canada. It was ranked 77th in the world among nearly 20,000 universities considered.

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Conclusion
As said earlier, art has been changing over the years from just painting and drawing. It will always be present and continually changing. Therefore, it is up to us to make new changes as well by acquiring the best knowledge we can to hone our skills.
The above universities will make this happen. There are so many art schools in Canada but we are suggesting the 10 best art schools in Canada that will sharpen your skills and make you a great artist.
Therefore, figure out what your artistic passion is and look into the above schools by clicking the links. Don’t forget to leave a reply in the comment section.