Institute of American Indian Arts

The Institute of American Indian Arts (congressionally chartered as the Institute of American Indian & Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development) was established by Executive Order under President John F. Kennedy in 1962, and opened in August of that same year on the campus of the Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Under the directorship of its co-creators, Dr. George Boyce and Lloyd Kiva New, Cherokee, the Institute embodied a bold and innovative approach to arts education, and has since played a leadership role in contemporary Indian art education.

The Institute offers four-year degrees in Studio Arts, Visual Communication, Creative Writing and Museum Studies, and is singularly qualified to offer students an environment and foundation from which they can create new forms of artistic expression and accomplishment. Our unique learning environment promotes Indian leadership and an atmosphere that allows students to explore their cultural and artistic heritage. It is a place where the spirit and vision of American Indian and Alaska Native people is the first priority. It is a place where traditions are rediscovered and reaffirmed, where it’s possible for American Indian and Alaska Native students to celebrate their art and cultural identity.

Since 1962, IAIA has empowered Indian People as they strive for education, economic self-sufficiency, and the expression of their artistic and cultural traditions. We take great pride in preparing students to pursue a life of ideas and moral values, to become leaders in a community of diverse cultures and environments. Our faculty, many of who are IAIA graduates, give testimony to the positive impact of IAIA’s unique learning environment, and serve as a catalyst for student achievements.

Today, IAIA has graduated more than 3,800 students representing 90 % of the 562 federally recognized Tribes in the nation, and has become well known internationally for its achievements. In any given year, there can be up to 112 tribes represented in our student body. This diversity provides for cross pollination of ideas that enriches not only student learning experiences, but their tribal communities and the nation overall. No where is it more evident, than at IAIA, that art is an on-going tradition of creativity. Our unique location in Santa Fe, New Mexico, places the us within one of the most diverse concentrations of Native peoples in North America, at the heart of the nation’s oldest multi-cultural communities and in one of the largest art markets in the country.
Having been named one of the world’s most significant art education institutions by UNESCO and the International Association of Art, IAIA continues to be at the forefront of the contemporary Indian art movement, an unprecedented art movement that is an integral component of Indian America’s cultural and artistic rebirth. Our students, faculty and alumni continue to gain renown nationally and internationally for their innovative and groundbreaking work. The body of their work collectively came to establish the base of the National Collection of Contemporary Indian Art, comprised of over 6,500 art objects housed in the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum.

As the nation’s only fine arts college devoted solely to the artistic and cultural traditions of all American Indians, our mission has always been guided by a strong sense of cultural identity, distinguished by a unique approach to arts education and Indian education in general.

As a multi-tribal learning center, we provide a bridge between a past rich with tradition and the dynamic ever-evolving American Indian culture of the new millenium.




The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) is located in one of the most diverse concentrations of Native peoples in North America, in the heart of the nation’s oldest multi-cultural communities and in one of the largest art markets in the country. The City of Santa Fe’s population is 63,203. The elevation is approximately 6,990.

Situated on 140 acres of land 12 miles southwest of downtown Santa Fe, the IAIA campus environment supports natural plant and wildlife. In each direction, one has breathtaking views of the landscape. To the west are the Jemez Mountains; to the northeast are the Sangre de Christos Mountains, and to the south are the Ortiz Mountains with the Sandia Mountain Range looming behind them.

Currently, the campus is comprised of the following facilities:

Academic Center
Library & Technology Center
Student Housing
Student Life Center
Cultural Learning Center
Facilities Management

The main and west wings of the Library & Technology Center (LTC) opened in January and house the new library, design and motion graphics classrooms for the Visual Communication Degree Program, a 40-seat teaching & video/conference room, a 280-seat lecture hall, and additional classrooms. The LTC will also house Administrative offices that will be completed in 2005. The LTC is a 55,750 square foot, state-of-the-art facility that supports the Institute’s expanded degree programs and is comprised of technology/research and instructional components. The facility enhances the Institute’s ability to better serve students by providing access to the latest technology available and incorporating technology in the classroom setting.

Serving Native students from across the country allows for a unique cultural exchange within the student learning environment. In any given year, there may be up to 112 different tribes represented within the student body. This unique educational aspect is further supported by the Institute’s outreach programs to the 19 New Mexico Pueblos. Because of their close proximity to the campus, students experience first-hand the rich cultures and traditions of the Pueblo People.

Outreach and other activities that benefit students address art and fitness. As a tourist attraction, Santa Fe has much to offer. It is home to the largest annual gathering of Indian artists in the country, the Santa Fe Indian Art Market, held each year in August. A large portion of Santa Fe’s population is comprised of artists. Many are IAIA alumni who have made Santa Fe their home. With 250 art galleries and 12 museums located throughout the City, students have access to a variety of art mediums and are often treated, on and off campus, to art lectures and workshops conducted by alumni and other artists. To help students stay fit, the Santa Fe Ski Basin is located just outside of Santa Fe. Students are also provided free access to the Genoveva Chavez Community Center, a facility that houses a gym, weight room, 3 swimming pools, an ice-skating rink and an indoor walking track. The Institute’s Student Activities Coordinator plans activities that take students not only to every corner of New Mexico, but throughout the country. Student Clubs are also known to take excursions into other countries as well.

At IAIA, all students are equally assured of the best opportunities for critical, professional and cultural development provided from a Native perspective.




Mission Statement

“The Institute of American Indian Arts is a multi-tribal center of higher education dedicated to the preservation, study, creative application, and contemporary expression of American Indian and Alaska Native arts and cultures.”




FACILITIES RENTAL AT IAIA CAMPUS

Situated on 140 acres on the south side of Santa Fe, our campus overlooks some of the most inspirational land in the world. With 360-degree views, mountains to the four directions, and incredible sunsets, you will feel at once stirred by the intensity of the land, and calmed by the quiet air.

The Hogan
IAIA’s cultural landmark is an octagon shaped hogan designed for special events, meetings, ceremonies, tribal events, public meetings and weddings. The Hogan is a traditional place of worship and sharing.

Library and Technological CenterLibrary Technology Center (LTC)
Our brand new LTC is a state- of- the- art library and technology center that features an auditorium/lecture hall with an audience capacity of 300 and a full screen theatre. Our two“smart’ classrooms are also available and are equipped for high-end video graphics with G-5 computers. Additional classroom space includes one lecture and two standard with capacities of twenty to forty-five participants.

Dance Circle
Ideal for weddings and corporate events, our beautiful circular outdoor dance space is situated in the very center of IAIA campus with a mountain view in all four directions. Other amenities include an outdoor cooking/barbecue pit and a stadium courtyard on two sides.

Academic Building Art Studios
(highspeed wireless internet access available)
Ceramic, sculpture, painting/drawing, and jewelry studio space with a maximum capacity of twenty are available; as well as a tented outdoor courtyard.

Dormitory Housing
Twenty-six apartment-style accommodations (1-4 persons per room), common shared area, one bathroom. Highspeed Internet access available.

Cafeteria
Full service warming stations and kitchen. Indoor seating for 40-50. Outdoor seating for 20. Outdoor and indoor recreation space. Night lighting.

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