In 1946, LAC moved to Qiqiha’er, Jiamusi,Harbin and Shenyang successively, whose name was once changed to Northeast Luxun Institute of Literature and Art. In 1953, Northeast Junior College of Fine Arts was set up basing upon the Fine Arts Department of the Institute near Nanhu Park, Shenyang. And the college’s name was changed to the present one in 1958.
Today, LAFA is an institution of higher learning of art, and ranks among the best art schools in China, for its excellent faculty, scientific management, unique way of art education, and a great variety of programs offered.
The academy has 11 departments (with 17 programs), a branch college (offering programs in design and painting), a college of continuing education and an attached secondary art school. The departments are Chinese painting, print, oil painting, sculpture, photography, art education, graphic design (including the programs in graphic, decoration and multimedia design), environmental art design (including the programs in city planning and design), textile and fashion design (including the programs in textile and fashion design), industrial design (including the programs in industrial and ceramics), and history and theory of art. The College of Continuing Education devised into three parts: full-time study, correspondence study and self-taught education, with the programs in Chinese painting, graphic design, environmental art design, fashion design, industrial design, photography and art education. The students registered in any program can do the B.F.A., and the ones with the B.F.A. can do the M.F.A. The program of oil painting has been designated as one of the provincial priority subjects. The programs of sculpture and graphic design have been designated as our college priority subjects.
Since the founding of the academy, it has cultivated over 8000 professionals of different levels. Now of an enrollment of 3404 students, there are 2165 undergraduates, 109 master degree candidates, 100 part time postgraduates and 30 foreign students. The College of Continuing Education has an enrollment of 1000 students.
The academy’s excellent faculty is proportionally made up of able teachers with professional qualifications. The faculty numbers 259, including 35 professors, 82 associate professors, 96 lecturers and 46 assistant professors. Also, a number of well-known professors are playing active role in the teaching field, 17 of whom enjoy the government allowance for their special contributions.
The academy is not only a well-known institution, but also a center of art creation and academic studies. The number of the prize-winning works at the previous national art exhibitions always placed first. National Art Gallery of China, The Museum of Chinese History, and The Military Museum of China, have collected many works by the faculty members and the alumni. The academy has occupied the first place in the field of panorama in China, the works such as the Conquest of Jinzhou, Qingchuan River Battle, Laiwu Battle, the Conquest of Yuncheng, Chibi Battle and Jinan Battle are the display of the teachers’ artistic creativity.
The academy is located on Sanhao Street, the heart of Nanhu Science and Technology Development Zone in Shenyang. The campus occupies an area of 140,000 square meters with the total floorage of teaching area of 116,500 square meters.
The academy library, with total floorage 3500 square meters, has about 190,000 volumes, and its collection of ancient Chinese original painting and calligraphy works, rubbings from ancient steles and cultural relic numbers about 3000 pieces.
The art gallery of the academy with total floorage 2420 square meters provides well-equipped showrooms and good-quality service for art exhibition.
The journal Meiyuan (the Garden of Fine Arts), which began its publication in 1980, enjoys great prestige both at home and abroad. It holds “ Meiyuan Cup” prize competition of art works and theses by graduating students from art schools in China each year; holds “Luyi Cup” prize competition of art works by teachers from fine arts departments of normal universities or colleges every two years, all the award-winning works have been published on Meiyuan, and now Meiyuan is also one of the centers of information exchange on national higher art education.
The academy has made remarkable achievements in international exchanges. It has established friendly inter-school relations with more than 10 institutions in Russia, America, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Singapore.
