Craft + Design

The material objects in our lives enrich our day-to-day experiences through the artistic expression and skilled craft of the maker. In the Craft + Design program, you’ll push the limits of both contemporary and traditional methods, take risks in your work, and challenge the conventional use of materials.

Focus your creativity or explore across mediums
Students can choose to focus their creativity in three areas of concentration:

• Ceramics
• Glass
• Jewelry + Metals

or cross disciplines to explore how various media can merge to best convey your ideas around making.

Core curriculum
Our core curriculum brings Ceramics, Glass and Jewelry + Metals students together to explore shared themes of creative process, material, form and context.

Entrepreneurship
Artists and designers who focus on object-making work with clients very effectively. You’ll learn how to understand an idea that a client has, conduct research and ideation, present design options, make prototypes, and produce work that will fulfill the objectives that your end product is supposed to fulfill.

Our Craft + Design alumni have celebrated careers in custom commissions and production assignments for high-end and mass production environments.

Real-world experience for real-world careers
What may best set CIA apart from other colleges of art and design is our commitment to preparing students for a career path through real-world experiences. You'll learn by working on real-world projects with external partners or clients, or in the public sphere—all before graduation.

These opportunities allow you to put your classroom and studio knowledge to work in a professional setting while still being guided by faculty. You’ll learn what it takes to meet clients’ expectations, and you will emerge with confidence that will serve you as you launch your career.

Leadership
Northeast Ohio and the Cleveland Institute of Art have a long history of leadership and innovation in Craft, with legendary faculty and alumni over the years including John Paul Miller, Frederick Miller, Brent Kee Young, Judith Salomon, WIlliam Brouillard, and our world-renowned practicing faculty.