Call for applications

Cranbrook Academy of Art is a dynamic community of architects, artists, and designers working together to shape the future of visual art and material culture. Ranked as one of the country’s top graduate-only programs in art, architecture, and design, Cranbrook is a place for students looking to earn their MFA or MArch within a program free from conventional classes and a fixed curriculum. Instead, we offer an unscripted approach to graduate education that centers the questions and interests of artists who choose to come here as they strive to make sense of an ever-changing world.

Cranbrook is a community of educators, artists, architects, and designers, living and working together. At its core, it is a radical experiment that hinges on the belief that extraordinary things can happen when people are given time and space to explore their work in a supportive and inclusive community.

The program itself takes the form of weekly critiques, lectures, workshops, symposiums, engagements in the city of Detroit, and dinners with visiting artists, critics, and curators.

The Academy is intentionally small, enrolling a maximum of ten to fifteen students in each department, for a total student body that can range from 130–150. The eleven disciplines of study include 2D Design, 3D Design, 4D Design, Architecture, Ceramics, Fiber, Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture. Each department is led by a single Artist-in-Residence, and the program is well-suited for graduate students looking for a unique setting to explore their work outside the confines of traditional academic programs.

The structure of the Academy allows for interdisciplinarity and substantial input from students, from helping to identify visiting artists and critics to shaping the critical discourse of each department. Academy-wide seminars in critical studies and professional practices, and an international roster of invited visitors further enrich the experience. Cranbrook’s extensive facilities make this an ideal place to embark on your professional career, from private studios to shared fabrication and digital labs, student-run exhibition spaces, publishing opportunities, and access to the renowned Cranbrook Art Museum.

There are few creative communities in the world that do not share a Cranbrook connection and a look at our alumni roster demonstrates that we continue to produce leaders at a rate that far outpaces our size. Our two-year, full-time MFA and MArch programs position our graduates for advanced work in art, architecture, and design and provide connections that last a lifetime.

The Academy of Art is located just outside the city of Detroit and is part of the larger 300-acre Cranbrook Educational Community. Listed as a National Historic Landmark, the highly celebrated campus continues to inspire people today through its remarkable beauty and sense of purpose.  These expanded resources further support student research and study opportunities available to our graduate students.  

Nearly 80 percent of Academy students receive some form of financial aid in the form of gifts and scholarships to assist with the cost of study. This includes up to 10 full-tuition Gilbert Fellowships for students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, intended to provide resources and pathways to increase equity within graduate education.

Applications are now open through February 1, 2024. Apply here.