Art Schools in Atlanta, Georgia: Where to Study, Create, and Grow as an Artist

Atlanta has one of the most active arts scenes in the Southeast, and its art schools and programs reflect that energy. Whether you want a full bachelor’s degree, a weekend drawing class, or a serious portfolio program for animation or game design, there are options across the city.

This guide focuses on art schools in Atlanta, Georgia—what they offer, where they’re located, and how to choose the right fit if you live in Atlanta, are relocating here, or are considering coming here to study.

Quick Overview: Types of Art Schools in Atlanta

Atlanta’s art education options fall into a few main categories:

Understanding which type of program you need will make your Atlanta search much easier.

Major Art Colleges and Universities in Atlanta

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) – Atlanta

Location: 1600 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309 (Midtown)
Focus: Comprehensive art and design university

SCAD is one of the best-known art schools in the region and has a major Atlanta campus right in Midtown, close to the city’s galleries, studios, and music venues.

Programs you’ll see in Atlanta include:

• Animation, Visual Effects, and Game Design
• Illustration, Sequential Art, and Interactive Design
• Graphic Design, Advertising, and Branded Environments
• Photography, Film & Television
• User Experience (UX), Industrial Design, and more

SCAD Atlanta is suited for students who want:

• A full-time, career-focused art and design education
• Access to industry-style facilities such as studios, labs, and production spaces
• A campus connected to Atlanta’s media, film, and design industries

If you live in the metro area, SCAD can be intense and immersive, so it’s a strong option if you’re committed to building an art or design career.

Georgia State University – Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design

Location: Primarily on the Downtown Atlanta campus
Common address for the arts buildings: 33 Gilmer St SE, Atlanta, GA 30303
Focus: Fine arts and design within a public university

Georgia State University (GSU) offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), BA, and graduate programs in art and design through the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design.

Common areas of study include:

• Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking
• Photography
• Sculpture and Ceramics
• Graphic Design and Interior Design
• Textiles and Surface Design
• Art Education and Art History

GSU is a strong fit if you:

• Want an accredited fine arts degree in a large, urban public university
• Prefer having general education plus a focused art major
• Plan to commute from elsewhere in Atlanta via MARTA or car
• Are interested in exhibiting work downtown and engaging with the city’s galleries and public arts programs

Because it’s a public institution, GSU can be a more budget-conscious option for Georgia residents compared to many private art schools.

Emory University – Art History & Studio Art

Location: 201 Dowman Dr, Atlanta, GA 30322 (Druid Hills)
Focus: Liberal arts with studio art and art history

Emory is not an art school in the specialized sense, but it does offer studio art and art history degrees within a broader liberal arts context.

Students interested in:

• Painting, drawing, photography, and video
• Combining art with other disciplines (such as anthropology, literature, or history)
• Strong exposure to curatorial and museum studies through local institutions

may find Emory a good fit, especially if they plan on academic, museum, or mixed creative careers rather than strictly commercial design.

Community Colleges and Technical Colleges With Art Programs

If you’re looking for more affordable options or want to start with foundational coursework, Atlanta’s community and technical colleges offer solid art and design pathways.

Georgia State University – Perimeter College (Multiple Campuses Serving Atlanta)

Perimeter College, part of GSU, has campuses in areas that serve many Atlanta students (for example, Clarkston, Decatur, Dunwoody). While the main art and design programs are downtown, Perimeter often offers:

• Foundational drawing, design, and art appreciation courses
• Associate degrees that can transfer into four-year art programs
• General education plus introductory studio classes

This can be a practical way to start your art education close to home and then transfer to a more specialized program downtown or elsewhere.

Atlanta Metropolitan State College

Location: 1630 Metropolitan Pkwy SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
Focus: Two- and four-year degrees, including arts and humanities

Atlanta Metropolitan State College offers courses in visual arts, humanities, and media, which may include drawing, design fundamentals, and digital tools as part of broader degrees.

This school is helpful if you seek:

• A starter pathway into creative fields while staying in the city
• Smaller class sizes and more budget-conscious tuition
• Access to Southwest Atlanta if you live nearby

Atlanta Technical College

Location: 1560 Metropolitan Pkwy SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
Focus: Technical and career programs, including some creative and media-related fields

While not a fine-arts college, Atlanta Technical College often has programs related to design, media, and communications technology that can complement creative skills, especially if you want practical, job-ready training with a visual component.

Private Art & Design Schools and Specialized Programs

In addition to large universities, Atlanta has specialized art and design schools that focus heavily on career preparation in specific creative fields.

The Creative Circus (Note: Check Current Status)

Historical location: 812 Lambert Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30324
Focus: Creative portfolio school (advertising, design, content creation)

The Creative Circus was known for:

• Advertising art direction and copywriting
• Design, UX, and interactive media
• Portfolio development geared toward working in agencies and creative firms

Because specialized schools sometimes reorganize or change offerings, it’s important to verify current operations and programs directly with the school before planning.

Other Specialty & Certificate-Based Programs

Across Atlanta, you’ll also find smaller private schools and studios that offer:

• Intensive workshops in illustration, animation, or comics
• Portfolio preparation programs for college applications
• Software training in tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Blender, or 3D modeling

These are often located in neighborhoods like Midtown, Old Fourth Ward, West Midtown, and Inman Park, where many creative studios and co-working spaces operate.

Community Art Centers, Studios, and Museums Offering Classes

If you’re not ready for a full degree—or you’re an established professional looking to sharpen a skill—Atlanta’s art centers and museums can be ideal.

These aren’t “art schools” in the degree-granting sense, but they are central to arts education in the city.

Atlanta Contemporary

Location: 535 Means St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318 (West Midtown)

Atlanta Contemporary is a nonprofit arts center known for contemporary art exhibitions and artist programs. While its main focus is exhibiting and supporting artists, it occasionally offers:

• Artist talks and professional development events
• Workshops and public programs related to contemporary practice

This is a good destination if you want to learn about the current art scene in Atlanta and network with working artists.

Atlanta College of Art Legacy (Now Part of SCAD)

The Atlanta College of Art once operated at the Woodruff Arts Center and is now part of the SCAD legacy in Atlanta. If you hear locals mention “ACA,” they’re usually referring to this history.

The area around the Woodruff Arts Center remains an educational hub:

• High Museum of Art – exhibitions and programs
• Alliance Theatre – performance and related education
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

All of these expose students and residents to a wide cultural environment that complements studio art study.

High Museum of Art – Classes and Programs

Location: 1280 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 (Midtown)

While not a degree-granting school, the High Museum offers:

• Art classes for children and teens
• Occasional workshops and programs for adults
• Tours and talks that deepen understanding of art history and technique

If you live in Atlanta and want your kids to get exposure to art—or you want to build your own visual literacy alongside studio practice—a museum-based program can be a helpful complement to formal schooling.

Neighborhood Arts Centers and Studios

Across Atlanta, especially in neighborhoods like:

• Castleberry Hill
• Old Fourth Ward
• East Atlanta
• Grant Park
• West End / Westview

you’ll find:

• Shared studio spaces with occasional classes
• Figure drawing sessions (drop-in, pay-per-session)
• Ceramics studios where you can rent a wheel or kiln time
• Printmaking and letterpress workshops

These are valuable if you:

• Already have basic skills and want regular practice
• Need a studio environment without enrolling in a degree program
• Want to connect with Atlanta’s local artist community

Searching by neighborhood often helps, since many of these spaces are small and locally run.

Choosing the Right Art School in Atlanta: Key Considerations

When deciding among Atlanta’s art schools and programs, it helps to think through your goals, budget, and lifestyle.

1. Clarify Your Goal

Ask yourself:

• Do you want a professional art or design career (e.g., animator, UX designer, illustrator, photographer)?
• Are you aiming for fine art, galleries, and studio practice, or more applied design (branding, digital products, advertising)?
• Do you want a degree, a certificate, or simply skill-building classes?

Typical matches in Atlanta:

• Career-focused, specialized design/art
  → SCAD Atlanta, specialized private programs
• Fine art with academic depth and public university benefits
  → GSU Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design
• Liberal arts with art included
  → Emory University
• Price-sensitive or exploratory route
  → Community colleges, technical colleges, museum and community centers

2. Think About Budget and Financial Aid

Costs can vary dramatically:

• Private art schools (such as SCAD) tend to have higher tuition but may offer scholarships, portfolio-based awards, and need-based aid.
• Public institutions like GSU typically offer in-state tuition and state-level financial aid options.
• Community and technical colleges are often more affordable and can reduce the overall cost if you transfer later.

If you’re in Atlanta already, commuting instead of living on campus can also lower expenses.

3. Location, Commute, and Transit

Atlanta’s traffic is a real factor. Consider:

• Is the campus accessible via MARTA rail or bus if you don’t drive?
• Can you realistically commute from neighborhoods like Decatur, Sandy Springs, College Park, or East Point during rush hours?
• Do studio courses run late into the evening or on weekends?

For many students, campuses in Midtown and Downtown are easier to reach via public transit. Schools in Southwest Atlanta may be more convenient if you live in that part of the metro.

4. Facilities and Studio Access

For art and design, the quality of facilities matters:

Look for:

• Dedicated studios for painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics
• Digital labs for animation, game design, photo, and video
• Print labs, darkrooms, fabrication labs, VR labs, depending on your interests
• Policies about after-hours access for students to work on projects

Touring the campus in person in Atlanta is one of the best ways to evaluate whether you’ll have what you need to create at a high level.

5. Atlanta’s Creative Industry Connections

One major advantage of studying art in Atlanta is proximity to:

• The city’s growing film and TV production scene
• Game development and interactive media companies
• Advertising agencies and branding studios
• Local galleries, museums, and public art projects

When comparing schools, ask:

• Do they host portfolio reviews and industry days?
• Do they help place students in internships across the city?
• Are professors working artists or designers in Atlanta’s creative scene?

This can make a major difference in how easily you transition from school into paid creative work.

Art Education Options for Different Life Stages in Atlanta

High School Students in Atlanta

If you’re still in high school (APS, DeKalb, Fulton, Cobb, etc.) and want to prepare for art school:

• Look for advanced art electives or AP Art where available.
• Consider weekend or evening classes at:
  • Local community art centers
  • Museums such as the High Museum of Art
  • Summer or weekend portfolio prep programs at nearby colleges, if offered
• Attend open studios, Atlanta art walks, and student exhibitions (especially at SCAD or GSU) to see what advanced student work looks like.

Building a strong portfolio is often more important than grades for admission to dedicated art programs.

Working Adults and Career Changers

Many Atlanta residents decide later in life to:

• Switch into a creative field
• Turn a hobby (drawing, photography, design) into a side income
• Add visual skills to a marketing, tech, or business career

Steps that often work well:

• Start with evening or weekend classes at nearby community colleges or art centers.
• Take non-credit continuing education classes offered by local universities or private schools.
• Use Atlanta’s many meetups, drawing groups, and workshops to stay motivated and build a network.
• Gradually assemble a portfolio in your area of interest before deciding whether to pursue a full degree.

Parents and Kids

For families in Atlanta:

• Look for youth art programs at:
  • Public schools and magnet schools with strong arts tracks
  • Museums like the High Museum
  • Neighborhood studios that offer after-school or summer camps
• Many programs are clustered in intown neighborhoods, but you’ll also find classes in the metro suburbs (Decatur, Marietta, Sandy Springs) if commuting downtown is difficult.

Early exposure to art can help kids build creativity, confidence, and basic skills that later support formal art school applications.

Practical Next Steps for Finding an Art School in Atlanta

Here’s a simple way to move from “interested” to “taking real action” in Atlanta:

1. Define your path.
   Decide whether you’re aiming for:

   • A degree (BFA, BA, MFA)
   • A certificate or intensive program
   • Short classes and workshops

2. List 3–5 Atlanta programs that fit.
   Include at least:

   • One public option (like GSU or a community/technical college)
   • One private art or design school
   • One non-degree local art center or museum program

3. Visit in person.
   Because Atlanta’s traffic and neighborhoods vary a lot, actually visiting campuses or studios helps you assess:

   • Commute time and safety
   • Studio spaces, labs, and galleries
   • The feel of surrounding areas (Midtown vs. Downtown vs. Southwest, etc.)

4. Ask targeted questions.
   When you talk with admissions or program staff, focus on:

   • Portfolio requirements and deadlines
   • Typical career paths for graduates in Atlanta and beyond
   • Access to internships, exhibitions, and industry partners
   • Costs, including materials, software, and lab fees

5. Connect with local artists.
   Attend:

   • Art walks (such as those in Castleberry Hill or West Midtown)
   • Openings at galleries and college exhibitions
   • Artist talks and public lectures

Hearing directly from working artists in Atlanta can clarify which schools are respected locally and which environments feel right for your goals.

If you’re serious about the arts, Atlanta offers a full spectrum—from prestigious art and design degrees in Midtown and Downtown to intimate neighborhood studios and community classes. By focusing on your goals, budget, and how you want to engage with the city’s creative community, you can find an art school in Atlanta, Georgia that truly fits how and where you want to create.