In the contemporary art landscape, the choice of an art school can play a crucial role in an artist’s career. Europe, rich in cultural and artistic heritage, is home to some of the most prestigious institutions in the world, offering quality training and invaluable opportunities. In this first part of our series, we bring you an overview of the best European art schools, where creativity and innovation meet to shape the artists of tomorrow. Discover these iconic institutions that inspire and train the talents of the future.
Germany ๐ฉ๐ช
Universität der Künste Berlin, credit: Björn Wilck via Wikipedia
- University of the Arts Berlin (UdK) – Berlin
The Berlin University of the Arts is one of the largest and most diverse arts universities in the world, offering over 70 programs spanning disciplines such as fine arts, design, music, and performing arts. Notable alumni include film director Wim Wenders and visual artist Katharina Grosse .
Official website : https://www.udk-berlin.de/ - Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart
The Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Stuttgart is renowned for its programs in architecture, industrial design, visual communication, and fine arts. It has trained renowned artists such as Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frei Otto and conceptual artist Joseph Kosuth .
Official website : https://www.abk-stuttgart.de/ - Hochschule für Bildende Künste (HFBK) – Hamburg
The Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg offers a diverse artistic education, including painting, sculpture, digital media and design. It is the first art academy in Germany to offer a doctorate in artistic practice. Its famous alumni include conceptual artist Hanne Darboven and film director Fatih Akin .
Official website : https://www.hfbk-hamburg.de/ - Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
The Kunstakademie Düsseldorf is renowned for its fine arts program, offering specializations in painting, sculpture, photography and new media. It has been the birthplace of influential art movements and has trained renowned artists such as Gerhard Richter , Andreas Gursky and Joseph Beuys.
Official website : https://www.kunstakademie-duesseldorf.de/
Austria ๐ฆ๐น
- Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien
Founded in 1692, the Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien is one of the oldest art academies in Europe. It offers programs in painting, sculpture, architecture, graphic design, and new media. Famous alumni include Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele , and Oskar Kokoschka .
Official website : https://www.akbild.ac.at/ - Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien
Commonly referred to as "die Angewandte", this university is renowned for its programs in design, architecture, media art and applied arts. It offers an interdisciplinary approach, integrating fields such as industrial design, graphic design and fashion. Renowned artists and designers, such as industrial designer Konstantin Grcic , have studied here.
Official website : https://www.dieangewandte.at/
Belgium ๐ง๐ช
La Cambre Abbey, abbesses' promenade, school of decorative and visual arts - Ixelles (Brussels) via Wikipedia
- National School of Visual Arts of La Cambre – Brussels
Founded in 1927, La Cambre is one of the most prestigious art schools in Belgium. It offers training in visual arts, design, architecture, and scenography.
Famous alumni: Philippe Starck (designer) and Pierre Alechinsky (artist).
Official website : www.lacambre.be - Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels
Founded in 1711, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels (ArBA-EsA) is one of the oldest art schools in the Belgian capital, offering programs in visual arts, design, and architecture.
Famous alumni: Paul Delvaux (surrealist painter).
Official website : www.arba-esa.be - Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) – Ghent
Founded in 1748, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent offers training in visual arts, design, music, and theatre.
Famous alumni: Dirk Braeckman (photographer), Lukas Dhont (film director).
Official website: www.kask.be
Bulgaria ๐ง๐ฌ
- National Academy of Arts – Sofia
The National Academy of Arts (NHA) in Sofia, founded in 1896, is the oldest and most prestigious institution of higher education in the arts in Bulgaria. It offers programs in fine arts, applied arts, design, conservation and restoration, as well as art history and theory.
Famous alumni: Christo Vladimirov Javacheff , artist known for his monumental installations, and Theodore Ushev , film director.
Official website : https://nha.bg/en
Denmark ๐ฉ๐ฐ
- Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (KADK) – Copenhagen
Founded in 1754, is a prestigious institution located in Copenhagen, distinguished by its multidisciplinary approach to arts and design. It is a pillar of artistic education in Denmark, offering quality programs in various fields of architecture, design and visual art.
Famous alumni: Arne Jacobsen, legendary Danish architect and designer, Bjarke Ingels , Jørn Utzon, architect who designed the Sydney Opera House, one of the most famous buildings in the world, a masterpiece of modern architecture.
Official website : www.royaldanishacademy.com
Spain ๐ช๐ธ
Facultad de Bellas Artes, Madrid © Malopez 21 via Wikipedia
- Complutense University of Madrid – Facultad de Bellas Artes
The Facultad de Bellas Artes of the Complutense University of Madrid, founded in 1978, is one of Spain's most prestigious institutions for the visual arts. It offers programs in fine arts, design, restoration and heritage conservation. Notable alumni include the philosopher José Ortega y Gasset , the writer Mario Vargas Llosa , winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010, and the internationally renowned painter Secundino Hernández .
Official website : https://bellasartes.ucm.es/ - Massana School – Barcelona
Founded in 1929 thanks to the legacy of the philanthropist Agustí Massana, the Escola Massana is a municipal art and design center in Barcelona. It offers training in visual arts, design and crafts, with an interdisciplinary approach that fosters creativity. Its famous alumni include the illustrator Carme Solé i Vendrell , the painter Xavier Valls and the musician Pau Riba .
Official website : https://www.escolamassana.cat/ - Escola Superior de Disseny i d’Arts Plastiques de Catalunya (ESDAPC)
ESDAPC is a Catalan institution dedicated to higher education in design and plastic arts. It offers programs in graphic design, industrial design, fashion and plastic arts, aimed at training creative and innovative professionals.
Official website : https://www.esdapc.cat/
Finland ๐ซ๐ฎ
- Aalto University – School of Arts, Design and Architecture – Helsinki
It is a prestigious institution that was formed in 2010 from the merger of the University of Art and Design Helsinki and the Faculty of Architecture of the Helsinki University of Technology. It offers programs in architecture, design, arts and media, with an emphasis on interdisciplinarity. Its famous alumni include architect Alvar Aalto , designer Kaj Franck , and film director Renny Harlin .
Official website : https://www.aalto.fi/en/school-of-arts-design-and-architecture
France ๐ซ๐ท
National School of Fine Arts, ©Selbymay via wikipedia
- National School of Fine Arts (ENSBA) – Paris
ENSBA, founded in 1648, is one of the oldest art schools in France. It offers programs in painting, sculpture, architecture, and other artistic disciplines. Notable alumni include Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Jacques-Louis David, Gustave Moreau, Henri Matisse, and Auguste Rodin .
Official website : https://beauxartsparis.fr/ - School of Decorative Arts (ENSAD) – Paris
ENSAD, founded in 1766, offers training in design, graphics, fashion, interior architecture and other fields related to the decorative arts. Personalities such as Philippe Apeloig, Pénélope Bagieu, Ronan Bouroullec, Jean-Paul Goude, Henri Matisse and Auguste Rodin studied at ENSAD.
Official website : ensad.fr - Villa Arson – Nice
Villa Arson, founded in 1972, is a national center for contemporary art and a graduate school of art. It offers programs in contemporary art, design, and architecture. Its famous alumni include painter and sculptor Louis Cane , co-founder of the group Supports/Surfaces.
Official website : https://villa-arson.fr/ - Saint-Étienne School of Art and Design (ESADSE)
ESADSE, founded in 1998, offers training in art, design and visual communication. It is recognized for its innovative approach and its commitment to design research.
Official website : https://www.esadse.fr/en/home/
Greece ๐ฌ๐ท
- Athens School of Fine Arts (ASFA)
Founded in 1837, is a Greek institution specializing in fine arts. It offers programs in painting, sculpture, printmaking and art theory. Famous alumni include Giorgio de Chirico, Yannis Kounellis and Nikolaos Gyzis .
The campus is located in Athens, with studios and exhibition galleries.
Official website: https://www.asfa.gr/en
Hungary ๐ญ๐บ
- Hungarian University of Fine Arts – Budapest
(Magyar Képzลmลฑvészeti Egyetem) located in Budapest is one of the leading institutions of art education in Hungary, covering all areas of fine arts. It offers programs in painting, sculpture, printmaking and art theory, combining tradition and innovation. Notable alumni include painter and sculptor László Moholy-Nagy , designer Ernล Rubik (inventor of the Rubik's Cube) and painter István Orosz .
Official website : https://mke.hu/ - Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) – Budapest
Founded in 1880, MOME is one of the oldest art schools in Hungary. Initially focused on crafts and design, it has become a centre for modern art, design and innovation. Renamed in 2006 after Bauhaus artist László Moholy-Nagy , MOME combines tradition with cutting-edge education, fostering creativity and sustainability.
Official website : https://mome.hu/en
Italy ๐ฎ๐น
Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, ©Sailko via wikipedia
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze – Florence
Founded in 1784, the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze is one of the oldest art academies in Italy. It offers programs in painting, sculpture, stage design, and other artistic disciplines. Notable alumni include Giovanni Fattori , a major painter of the Macchiaioli movement, and Amedeo Modigliani , famous for his characteristic portraits. The campus is located in the heart of Florence, offering students an environment rich in history and artistic inspiration.
Official website : https://www.accademia.firenze.it/ - Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera – Milan
Established in 1776, the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera is a prestigious institution located in Milan. It offers training in visual arts, restoration, communication and art education. Renowned artists such as Francesco Hayez , a central figure of Italian Romanticism, and Lucio Fontana , founder of the Spatialist movement, studied or taught at Brera. The campus is housed in the Palazzo Brera, a historic building that also houses the Pinacoteca di Brera.
Official website : https://www.accademiadibrera.milano.it/ - Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) – Rome, Milan, Turin
Founded in 1966, the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) is an international network of institutions dedicated to design, fashion, visual arts and communication. With campuses in Rome, Milan and Turin, the IED offers innovative programmes focused on practice and industry. Its famous alumni include Francesco Morace , a sociologist and trend expert, and Alessandro Sartori , artistic director of the fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna.
Official website : https://www.ied.it/
Norway ๐ณ๐ด
- Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHIO)
Founded in 1996, is Norway's leading institution of higher education in the fields of visual arts, design and performing arts. It offers programmes in theatre, dance, opera, visual arts and design. Notable alumni include Edvard Munch , the famous expressionist painter. The campus is located in the former Seilduken textile factory in the heart of Oslo.
Official website : https://khio.no/en
Jean Dubreil