We believe in the power of art, design, and innovation to transform our world. Your gift to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) directly supports the next generation of artists and makers. Students are at the center of our philanthropic priorities:
- Affordability and Accessibility: Providing need-based and merit-based student scholarships enables SAIC to attract and enroll the most talented applicants from all backgrounds, giving them the financial stability to focus on making, innovating, and learning with our world-renowned faculty.
- Wellness: Supporting our students’ wellness ensures that they have access to resources that enable them to persist and thrive in SAIC’s rigorous environment. Our Wellness Center and Disability and Learning Resource Center provide empathic and compassionate support and care to students through health and counseling services.
- Career Preparedness: We prepare students for life after art school through Career and Professional Experience (CAPX). The CAPX office prepares students and alums through career education and connects them with internships, professional networks, and diverse experiences that help build sustainable, creative lives.
- Civic Engagement: We encourage our students to give back to their communities, both while they are at SAIC and after they graduate. As a Chicago institution, we serve our community by creating free public programming for all Chicagoans, inviting them to visiting artist lectures, student exhibitions, and panel discussions on campus. Additionally, we have partnered with residents and artists inNorth Lawndale to create SAIC at Homan Square, an initiative that encourages students, faculty, and alums to engage directly with the community by leading free art courses and workshops and offering pro bono design services and consulting.
Whether you make a contribution to support immediate needs or create an endowed fund for lasting impact, your support ensures SAIC’s continued leadership as one of the world’s top art and design schools.