China Academy of Art

Founded in 1928, as the first art academy with complete academic programs in China, China Academy of Art, continues to yield outstanding achievements known both at home and abroad. CAA has experienced early hardship, undergone changes in name and location, ample maturity, and leaping expansion as a vanguard in art.

It was founded by the renowned Chinese educator and scholar, Cai Yuanpei. Beside West Lake of Hangzhou, the Academy was established as the first ever comprehensive national art institution of higher education in China. Two perspectives defining its  pedagogical approach remain clear during the time. One is the concept of “a fusion of eastern and western cultures”, championed by the academy’s first president, Lin Fengmian. The other advocated by later president Pan Tianshou, emphasizes the idea that “innovation derives from tradition”. The two pedagogical perspectives foster an innovative and healthy academic atmosphere, which has become the most important tradition and feature of the academy.

Time and again, the China Academy of Art has been at the forefront of the artistic world in pursuit of its historical purpose and obligation to reinvigorate Chinese art. To accomplish its two primary goals - “building world-class Eastern fine art” and “creating a new humanistic education system based on artistic innovation and social aesthetic Cultivation”- the Academy has renovated its campuses, maintained its philosophies, expanded academic disciplines, and regrouped into “Five Disciplines and Ten Schools.” 

There are over 10,000 students and about 1,000 faculty and staff members at the Academy.The Academy, as a paradigm of craftsmanship and erudite academics, has fostered exceptional artistic talents with virtue who are well-versed in science, art, ancient and modern history. It has a total area of nearly 82 hectares including four campuses in Hangzhou (Nanshan, Xiangshan, Liangzhu and Xianghu) , Zhejiang, China and 1 campus in Shanghai (Zhangjiang), China.

China Academy of Art has developed its unique multiple academic structure. The Academy and the Fine Arts Discipline have been recognized as a “First-Class” academic institution. The Discipline of Fine Arts and the Discipline of Design both received an A+ in the fourth round of the national disciplines review, ranking first in the country; the Discipline of Art Theory received an A-, ranking third in the country; and the Discipline of Drama, Film, and Television received a B+, ranking sixth in the country. There are a total of 28 programs offered by the Academy, 26 of which have been classified as National First-Class programs, and the other 2 more as Zhejiang Provincial First-Class programs.