
It Starts with an Idea
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is a place where culture and innovation meet in meaningful and unexpected ways. SAIC students and faculty create new ideas, make new knowledge, and produce new work that impacts the city and the world.
Research in Action
Established by a generous gift from Art Institute of Chicago Trustees Earl and Brenda Shapiro and housed in the SAIC Provost's Office, the Shapiro Center fosters a research environment at SAIC. Students and faculty develop well-honed forms of inquiry and explore transformative, interdisciplinary ideas across art, design, science, business, social welfare, and cultural sustainability. The Shapiro Center facilitates art and design research in a number of ways:
- Develops research partnerships between SAIC and external organizations
- Supports sponsored, research-based classes that bring together various SAIC departments and work with external partners
- Fosters creative inquiry and investigations in emerging art and design topics through grants for students and faculty
- Organizes and sponsors events, lectures, and workshops on important topics and issues in art and design
The Earl and Brenda Shapiro Center for Research and Collaboration makes SAIC's impact possible.