Academy of Fine Arts and Design

Akademija za likovno umetnost in oblikovanje

The Academy of Fine Arts and Design, University of Ljubljana is the highest educational and artistic institution in the Republic of Slovenia in the field of visual arts and design. It was founded in 1945, when it was called the Academy of Plastic Arts and was independent until 1975, when it became a member of the University of Ljubljana. It performs an important mission as the first generator of Slovenian artistic production. The Academy devotes itself to teaching procedures of artistic creation and design as well as to theoretical knowledge enabling this creativity. 
 
From the very beginning it was conceived as a fundamental institution to take part in the development of Slovenian culture. To actually maintain, implement and upgrade this mission the Academy must take care of the quality of professional development of its teaching staff, and in the future also give employment only to prominent toplevel artists, designers and scientists. By shaping young painters, sculptors, designers of visual communications and industrial designers and restorers it actively cooperates in creating an artistic pulse and broader cultural life in Slovenia.

Our students introduce themselves to the public by exhibitions organised at the end of each semester and open to the general public, by periodical exhibitions at galleries in Slovenia and abroad, by work at art colonies and by taking part in artistic projects. At present the Academy does not dispose of its own exhibition space. The gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design is a project with a long history. We have succeeded in presenting a part of our collection at the premises of the Academy. This is one of the most important art collections in Slovenia, also included in the Guide to Slovenian museums. The Academy has its own library, which on account of separated 5 premises operates at two locations. It is a specialised university library covering the fields of fine arts, design, history of art and art theory. As such it is the only library with a reading room in Slovenia accessible to the public through the COBISS system.

There are numerous young people in Slovenia wishing to become artists, designers or restorers, but the enrolment in the study courses of the Academy is, nevertheless, limited. To enable the best to study, the Academy makes the selection of students for admission to undergraduate study by several-days exams, at which the candidate's talents are being verified. As a preliminary help to candidates the Academy organises evening arts courses. After successfully completing undergraduate and thereafter postgraduate studies it is possible to gain the titles of Master of Fine Arts or Master of Science and a doctor's degree.

The pressing problem of the whole academy is its great shortage of rooms. The Academy of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Ljubljana operates at as many as five quite dispersed locations. This unbearable situation will be solved only by the expected construction of a new building, in which the Academy of Music and the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television should join the Academy of Fine Arts and Design.