The Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) is a private, for-profit art school based in Lakewood, Colorado. Established in 1963 by artist and educator Philip J. Steele, it has grown into a renowned institution for art and design.
History
RMCAD was founded in 1963 by Philip J. Steele, an artist and teacher. In January of that year, Steele acquired Art for All Studios from Dorothea Seeley Shulenburg (1901-1975) and renamed it the “Rocky Mountain School of Art.” Originally operated as a proprietorship, the school was officially incorporated on September 11, 1972.
As the college’s enrollment increased, RMCAD relocated multiple times before settling in its current, expanded Lakewood campus in 2003. In 2010, a group of investors associated with Full Sail University purchased a controlling share from the Steele family, initiating significant curriculum and structural reforms. By 2014, the college adjusted its in-person courses to match the online scheduling format and transitioned most Liberal Arts classes online to reduce costs. Today, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD) is owned by Bill Heavener, Ed Haddock, and Jon Phelps, who also own Full Sail University along with other institutions.
Academics
RMCAD holds accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. The Interior Design program is also accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation.
Students
RMCAD’s undergraduate population of around 1,400 students consists of 66% female and 34% male students, with 41% representing minority and international backgrounds. Out-of-state students make up 79% of the enrollment.
The college boasts a student-to-instructor ratio of 9:1, with an average class size of eight, though classes may be larger in core Liberal Arts courses. The average age of on-campus students is 23, while online students average 30 years of age.
Campus
The Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design campus covers 23 acres (9.3 ha).
Designated as a National Historic District, the campus includes 17 buildings, with 11 of these dedicated to classrooms, communal areas, and other support spaces, such as four galleries and studio facilities. The campus, once the site of the Jewish Consumptives’ Relief Society (JCRS) and later the American Medical Center at Denver, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, Colorado. Although RMCAD’s Full Sail owners and current president Brent Fitch have updated and modified aspects of the historic campus, it remains located in Lakewood’s 40 West Arts District, near Casa Bonita.
The campus is situated in Lakewood, Colorado, nestled between Denver and the foothills of the Front Range mountains.
Galleries
RMCAD houses four primary galleries: the Philip J. Steele Gallery, Rude Gallery, Alumni Gallery, and Student Gallery. Named after the college’s founder, the Philip J. Steele Gallery is the largest on campus. Rude Gallery offers a more intimate space within the Rude Building, while the Alumni Gallery occupies the main foyer of the Texas Building. The Student Gallery is located in the EPiC building.