Institute of American Indian Arts Foundation (IAIA)

About Institute of American Indian Arts Foundation (IAIA)

Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)

Mission: The mission of the Institute of American Indian Arts is “to empower creativity and leadership in Indigenous arts and cultures through higher education, lifelong learning, and community engagement.” This mission is more than a statement. It is the driving force behind all that we do and the guiding principle for our dedicated faculty and staff.

Vision: Our vision is “to be the premier educational institution elevating Indigenous arts and cultures across the globe.” IAIA’s curricula, facilities, faculty, and staff are dedicated to preparing students for success and leadership. Our Indigenous-centered curricula provide students with educational experiences that fulfill their intellectual, social, physical, and spiritual needs. Through innovative pedagogy, critical inquiry, and intercultural exchange, our students receive a high-quality education and become part of a diverse, intergenerational community.

IAIA exemplifies creative excellence and what can be accomplished through an Indigenous approach to academics, community involvement, and museum practices. By promoting and expanding access to contemporary Indigenous arts through educational programming, research, and exhibitions, we are empowering Native creators and introducing non-Native audiences to Indigenous peoples’ vitality, resilience, and contemporaneity.

Beyond our arts-focused curricula, IAIA is a 1994 Land-Grant institution. Our Land-Grant Program provides training and outreach rooted in Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) that promote tribal sovereignty and self-determination.

History

IAIA is one of 37 tribal colleges in the United States. IAIA is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC).

Established as a high school in 1962 under the leadership of Lloyd Kiva New (Cherokee), Dr. George Boyce, and others, IAIA embodied a revolutionary approach to arts education. Now, sixty years later, we continue to fill a vital role as the only fine arts college in the world dedicated to the study of contemporary Native American and Alaskan Native arts.

Over the past six decades, IAIA’s influence on the art world has been monumental. “From the start of the Institute of American Indian Arts, students were encouraged to experiment,” says IAIA President Dr. Robert Martin (Cherokee Nation). “The boundaries were limitless. Our students were taught to develop their artistic style without being bound by tradition or history.” According to Dr. Martin, what makes IAIA a noteworthy institution is its student body, which enriches the campus community with its diversity, creativity, talents, and passion. “What I’ve admired most during my tenure here is observing the evolution of our students’ creativity and the ways in which they learn to take risks and manifest other leadership qualities while advancing their artistic expression.”