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Student Work at Corcoran College of Art and Design

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“I chose the Corcoran because of all the opportunities the faculty and location provide. As a photojournalism major, there’s no better place to take photos, get internships, and make connections than D.C. I love this area and also wanted to go to a small school where I’m not just a number and where I can study with working professionals.”

– Madeline Marshall Photojournalism, 2011

Dedicated to Art

The Corcoran Gallery of Art was formally founded as a public institution in 1869 at the intersection of Seventeenth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. When the Gallery opened its doors in 1874, art students immediately flocked to the museum to observe, sketch, and paint copies of the collection’s famous works. In 1878, William Wilson Corcoran donated additional funding to establish a school associated with the Gallery. When Corcoran passed away in 1888, a small building was built for the purpose of the gallery's burgeoning identity as a place for education in the arts. In 1890, the school officially opened as the Corcoran School of Art.

By 1897, the flourishing institution had outgrown its original home and moved to its present Downtown campus location. The renowned Beaux-Arts style building was designed by Ernest Flagg and is considered to be a premier example of the style. Despite difficult economic times in the 1930s, the school saw enough growth to continue expansion and began offering commercial art classes, scholarships, children’s courses, the library, ceramics facilities and courses, weekend classes, and summer learning opportunities. The school became a member of the National Association of Schools of Art in the mid 1970’s, and in 1978 was awarded its first BFA degree. The school became fully accredited in the 1980’s.

The College formally changed its name to The Corcoran College of Art + Design in 1999 and has established itself as Washington’s singular four-year accredited institution for education in the arts.