Studio Arts College International Inc

Programs: Saci is the oldest and most prestigious american art school in florence. The institution was founded in 1975 by painter jules maidoff, whose goal was to offer the finest and most challenging training to the next generation of artists, art historians, and art conservators, as well as the opportunity to live out a full, first-hand immersion within florentine culture and customs. Saci's main facilities are two beautiful historical palazzi in the center of florence: the palazzo dei cartelloni, acquired in 1999, and the palazzo jules maidoff for the visual arts, acquired in 2006. Over the course of its history, saci has succeeded in fulfilling a large number of astonishing achievements. These are but a few amongst the many reasons the institution is so highly regarded by its students, its faculty, its alumni, and within the florentine community itself: since 1975, over 10,000 students have benefited from the high educational standards offered at saci. Among its alumni are oscar-nominated film directors, artists who have exhibited in the london national portrait gallery and many other prestigious galleries worldwide, art conservators of the highest level, jewelry designers working on hollywood productions, just to mention a few. Saci's conservation department works on many masterpieces from the renaissance, giving students the opportunity to learn while actually restoring works by some of the greatest maestros of italian art. Between 1996 and 2006 the department fully restored the historical chapel of santa maria degli angiolini, which had been closed since 1966, when it was damaged by the flood. Many extraordinary artists have exhibited in the two saci galleries, from fashion designer elio fiorucci to proust armchair creator alessandro mendini, from audrey flack to beverly pepper. The saci artists council includes such well known international artists as christo, ralph gibson, and sting. David hockney honored saci with his participation in the institution's 2008 painted optics symposium. Programs of study - undergraduate academic year/semester abroad, late spring or summer sessions: the extensive range of studio arts, design, conservation, art history, and italian culture and language courses provides our students with the means to meet their individual educational needs while connecting them with the rich cultural heritage of italy. The student body is comprised of students enrolled at us universities and at institutions in other countries. In both fall and spring, a student can enroll in five classes for a total of 15 credits. During these terms, students additionally have the possibility to work as apprentices with artisans, and advanced students may be eligible to take a directed independent study or traineeship in a design firm, museum, or gallery. As part of their classes, saci students often create artwork for local hospitals and human rights organizations, and restore major art treasures that are a part of italys cultural heritage. Outside of class, student volunteers can teach english at elementary schools, serve as english-language museum guides, and assist at human rights agencies. In addition to visiting many famous italian cities over the course of the year, students use a museum pass provided by saci to visit florentine museums and historic sites. Students visit artists and designers studios, private collections, galleries, art fairs, and theaters. They have access to modern and historic art collections, research libraries, and contemporary art museums. Academic year and semester abroad program students enjoy many opportunities to exhibit their artwork in sacis two galleries. The academic year abroad culminates in a major end-of-year student exhibition which serves as an opportunity for students to display their work also to the florentine public. Graduate studies programs - mfa in studio art, mfa in photography (beginning in september 2014), post bac programs in studio art and conservation. Sacis community of mfa students works in a creative environment of rigorous critical and technical inquiry utilizing the unique artistic and cultural resources of florence, italy to prepare students for careers as artists and college instructors. Students live and work in the city that, during the renaissance, revolutionized art and has since served as an inspiration and catalyst for generations of artists. Mfa students at saci work in their own individual studios in a fully renovated renaissance palazzo in the heart of florence. Students are just steps away from the great works that have drawn artists past and present to florence to seek inspiration and develop their own pictorial language. In their graduate seminars, students explore a range of contemporary art practices, visit artists in their studios, and interview museum curators, art critics, and other significant figures in the art world. Students travel to major art sites, attend international art fairs throughout italy, and are encouraged, through individual practice and group critiques, to explore to the fullest their potential as creative artists. Mfa students attend saci in florence for two successive academic years and earn 60 credits. During their first year, under the mentorship of their selected major professor, they put together a program that balances independent study with classroom study. In their second year, emphasis is placed upon career options for emerging artists. Students gain practical experience as saci teaching assistants and their artwork is featured in major exhibitions in florence. By exploiting fully the advantages available to emerging artists through advanced study in florence, saci mfa students can become highly competitive when seeking an artistic professional career and university level teaching positions. Throughout their lives, they will be able to realize work reflecting their unique experience and deep understanding of italian art and the nature of the artists role in society. The post-baccalaureate certificate year offers unique opportunities to those who intend to earn an mfa, ma, or phd, and want to create a significant body of work in their field as a basis for application to an advanced degree program.