The Hite Institute of Art + Design

History

The Department of Art + Design at the University of Louisville was founded as the Department of Fine Arts in 1937. In 1946, the Department was endowed as the Hite Art Institute in recognition of the bequest of Allen R. and Marcia S. Hite. In 2022 the Department was renamed the Department of Art + Design and the Hite Institute of Art + Design. The Institute currently has 15 full-time faculty members, 16 part-time faculty members, a full-time staff of four, and approximately 400 undergraduate and graduate majors in the combined studio, design, art history, and critical & curatorial studies areas.

As the most comprehensive Art + Design program in the state of Kentucky, we offer majors the opportunity to earn a BA, BFA, MA or MFA in a variety of disciplines. Areas of study include art history, ceramics, critical & curatorial studies, drawing, fiber, glass, graphic design, interior design, new media, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.

The University of Louisville, founded in 1798, is one of the oldest municipal universities in the United States. With a current enrollment of more than 23,000 students, the University of Louisville is Kentucky's major urban university and one of the most rapidly expanding universities in the United States.

Mission

The mission of the Hite Institute of Art + Design is to educate our students to function in the forefront of the art world, to inspire critical thinking, promote a diversity of perspectives, and engage in the most current scholarship in art history, theory, studio art, and curatorial practices.

The Hite Endowment has allowed the department to continue to excel by providing support for academic programs, library acquisitions, student scholarships, faculty and student research, visiting artists and scholars, and exhibitions.

Facilities

The Hite Institute of Art + Design's studio art program is presently located in four buildings, two on Belknap campus and two off-campus. Schneider Hall is home to the studio art and design programs with studios in foundation design, foundation drawing, painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, graphic design, new media, fibers, and interior design; along with computer labs, galleries, art library, and departmental offices. Sculpture and ceramics are located in the HPES/Studio Arts Building, the glass program is housed in the Cressman Center for Visual Art in downtown Louisville, and the Master of Fine Arts program is located at 1606 Rowan Street in the historic Portland neighborhood of Louisville. The art history program, together with the Visual Resources Center and the Print Collection, is located in Lutz Hall.

Galleries

The Hite Institute of Art + Design maintains six art galleries that feature rotating exhibitions by nationally and internationally renowned artists and designers, as well as students and faculty of the Institute.

• Schneider Hall, on the Belknap campus of the University of Louisville, is home to the Morris B. Belknap Gallery, Dario A. Covi Gallery, and Gallery X, as well as a library dedicated to fine arts scholarship.
• The Cressman Center for Visual Arts, located in the heart of the downtown arts district, houses the John B. and Bonnie Seidman Roth Gallery, Leonard and Adele Leight Gallery, and the Alice S. and Irvin F. Etscorn Gallery for ongoing exhibitions, and provides the public with an opportunity to observe the daily operations of the glass studio.

Resources for Academic Enhancement and Student Success

The Hite Institute of Art + Design provides numerous opportunities to enhance our students' academic experiences including generous scholarships, grants and financial assistance for undergraduate and graduate studies and research.

General Information for Academic Enhancement

Undergraduate Scholarships

Graduate Scholarships and Assistantships

Student Travel and Research Grants

Visit the Hite Institute of Art + Design

We invite you to schedule a campus visit to tour the University of Louisville and the Hite Institute of Art + Design and learn more about the programs we offer. A campus visit is your opportunity to get a firsthand view and can help you decide if this campus is a good fit for you.

Schedule a visit