The Art Institutes (AI) was a system of private, for-profit art schools with numerous campuses across the United States, historically operated by Education Management Corporation (EDMC) and later by Dream Center Education Holdings (DCEH). These institutions offered a range of programs in design, media arts, fashion, and culinary arts. Over several years, the system faced significant challenges, including declining enrollment, regulatory scrutiny, financial difficulties, and questions about educational quality and job placement rates, leading to the closure of almost all its campuses by 2019. While some individual locations may have had periods of success, the overall system's legacy is now largely historical, with current resources primarily focused on transcript requests and information for former students affected by the closures.
Historically, this HQ provided centralized management, academic curriculum development, marketing strategy, financial oversight, and administrative support for the nationwide system of Art Institute campuses.
The Pittsburgh headquarters was a corporate office environment typical for managing a large, multi-campus educational enterprise. No specific architectural highlights are widely noted for the office itself, its significance was operational.
The work culture at the historical headquarters was likely a corporate environment focused on the business of for-profit education, encompassing marketing, student recruitment, financial performance, and regulatory compliance for its numerous campuses.
This location was the nerve center for The Art Institutes system during its period of major expansion and operation, overseeing dozens of campuses and shaping the educational direction for thousands of students.
The Art Institutes system did not operate a significant global network of campuses; its presence was primarily national, with numerous locations across the United States. These campuses aimed to provide career-focused education in creative fields, drawing students from various regions within the U.S. and some international students to its American campuses. The system's curriculum and operations were largely standardized across its U.S. locations.
210 Sixth Avenue
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
USA
Address: 11 Beach Street, New York, NY 10013 (Former location)
To provide career-oriented arts education in the Northeast, leveraging New York City's status as a global hub for art, fashion, and media.
Address: 2900 31st Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (Former location)
To function as an educational feeder for the extensive entertainment and digital media sectors in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Address: 350 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL 60654 (Former Illinois Institute of Art – Chicago, located in the Merchandise Mart)
To educate students for creative professions in the Midwest, benefiting from Chicago's role as a major commercial, artistic, and culinary center.
Address: 420 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (Former location)
To provide arts and design education in Western Pennsylvania and serve as the historical anchor of The Art Institutes system.
Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.
As of April 2025, The Art Institutes' leadership includes:
The Art Institutes has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:
The final operational years of The Art Institutes were marked by significant upheaval, including numerous campus closures and leadership changes within its parent companies (EDMC, then DCEH), rather than typical executive hiring or departures in a stable organization. Most news focused on financial instability, accreditation issues, and the eventual cessation of operations at nearly all campuses.
Discover the tools The Art Institutes uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.
Historically, email addresses for The Art Institutes staff, faculty, and administration typically followed common institutional patterns, often combining elements of an individual's name with the specific campus domain or a general Art Institutes domain (e.g., artinstitutes.edu for corporate/system-wide roles). These email addresses are generally no longer active due to the widespread campus closures.
[first_initial][last_name]@[campus_subdomain.]artinstitutes.edu or [username]@[campus_subdomain.]aii.edu
Format
jdoe@artinstitutes.edu (example historical corporate format)
Example
0%
Success rate
Higher Ed Dive • February 24, 2023
A federal judge granted final approval to the Sweet v. Cardona settlement, a significant class-action lawsuit. This ruling will provide approximately $6 billion in student loan relief to around 200,000 borrowers who attended numerous for-profit colleges, including many former students of The Art Institutes, who alleged their institutions defrauded them....more
The Art Institutes Official Website • Ongoing (Information current as of May 2024)
The official Art Institutes website (artinstitutes.edu) continues to serve as a resource hub for former students. It provides guidance on obtaining academic transcripts, diplomas, and offers information related to campus closures, student loan discharge programs, and other pertinent details for those affected by the shutdowns....more
U.S. Department of Education • November 16, 2022
The U.S. Department of Education announced the approval of $48.7 million in borrower defense to repayment discharges for former students of The Art Institute of Phoenix and The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, among others, who were found to have been harmed by misrepresentations from the schools....more
See where a company’s workforce is located, by country or region.
View past and recent funding rounds with amounts and investors.
Understand company revenue estimates and financial scale.
Track active roles and hiring trends to spot growth signals.
Discover what a company offers—products, platforms, and solutions.
Get the company’s official SIC and NAICS classifications.
Analyze visitor volume, engagement, and top traffic sources.
Explore LinkedIn, Twitter, and other active social profiles.
Identify top competitors based on similar business traits.
Explore companies in depth — from the tech they use to recent funding, hiring trends, and buyer signals — all in one powerful view.
Highperformr AI helps you surface the right accounts and enrich your CRM with verified company and contact insights, so your teams can prioritize and engage faster.
Thousands of companies, including The Art Institutes, are just a search away.