Academy of Art University

09/08/2026

Big news from the Academy of Art University School of Fashion: Our student Catrielle Barnett has been named an inaugural CFDA x Bezos Earth Fund Next Thread Scholar!

Catrielle, a 100% online BFA Fashion Design student, is one of only 12 emerging designers from eight schools nationwide selected for the inaugural scholarship class.

Her collection, Reclaiming Identity, transforms historical quilts, reclaimed denim, and other repurposed materials into sculptural garments while exploring the connections between fashion, memory, craftsmanship, technology, and sustainability.

Catrielle also uses CLO3D and zero-waste patternmaking to reduce material waste, achieving as much as 98% fabric efficiency in her designs.

“I see quilts as more than textiles; they record labor, memory, family, and community,” Catrielle says. “I wanted to preserve that sense of history while transforming these materials into contemporary sculptural garments.”

The CFDA x Bezos Earth Fund Next Thread Initiative was created to support innovation and education in sustainable fashion, and its inaugural scholars were selected by a committee that included some of the most recognized names in the fashion industry.

We are incredibly proud to see Catrielle’s talent, hard work, and creative vision recognized on this national stage.

Congratulations, Catrielle! 👏

Read her story: https://www.academyart.edu/news/academy-of-art-university-online-fashion-student-named-inaugural-cfda-x-bezos-earth-fund-next-thread-scholar/

09/04/2026

Fall semester is HERE! 🍂🎨✨ New classes, new projects, new memories. Let’s make this semester one to remember!

08/28/2026

Her grandmother chose to stop hiding. She survived — and that decision became a work of art.
Yoyo Hu rebuilds the air-raid shelters of her hometown in clay, one of our oldest and most fragile technologies. In Future Relics: An Archaeology of the Present, she treats this moment as a future excavation site, asking what traces of us will still be legible centuries from now. Hear the inspiration in her own words above.
Opening reception: Thursday, Aug 28, 7–9pm — live music and refreshments. On view Aug 26 – Sep 26.
Full details: https://natsoulas.com/upcoming-exhibitions/yoyo-hu-future-relics-august-26-september-26-2026

08/26/2026

Consider this your sign to find inspiration outside the studio 🎨✨ What’s your favorite place in SF to get inspired? 👇

08/25/2026

"I don't need it to be perfect. I need it to be fun and run in 60 frames a second." 🎮

What does AI actually mean for game development?

David "Rez" Graham, our Director of Game Programming and former Lead AI Programmer on The Sims 4 at Maxis, sat down with the Game Developer Podcast and former Take-Two head of AI Dr. Luke Dicken to cut through the noise on game AI, emerging tech, and the difference between using AI because you can and using it to build better experiences.

They get into where AI actually helps — handling the tedious, repetitive stuff so developers can focus their time elsewhere — and where the hype far outpaces reality. It's a smart, no-hype look at a fast-moving topic.

🎧 Listen to the full episode:

We're chatting about AI and AI techniques, but it’s also a conversation about the nature of work and the inherent value of AI in game development.

08/24/2026

Share this with someone chasing their creative dream. Everyone’s path to art school looks a little different. 🎨 We asked our students what inspired them to follow their creativity and take that next step. ✨

To learn more about our programs: https://www.academyart.edu

08/21/2026

Ask an art student to explain "business casual" and you'll get a blank stare. Swipe through for a look at what a normal day actually looks like at Academy of Art University — from the runway to the soundstage, from building worlds in VR to painting with the Golden Gate as your classroom.
Your turn: wtf is _______? 👇

08/21/2026

🎬 Congratulations to Academy of Art University alum Sydney Freeland!

Sydney directed Episodes 7 and 8 of Netflix's Little House on the Prairie, adding another exciting credit to an already impressive career in film and television.

Check out some behind-the-scenes moments at Sydney's Instagram post, here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DaoidGQjOfc/

Congratulations, Sydney! 👏

08/17/2026

This is what chasing your passion actually looks like. From set to studio to street, ArtU is where creatives become professionals. Ready to start?

❤️ https://www.academyart.edu

08/14/2026

This is what art school actually looks like.

At Academy of Art University, "class" might mean drawing from a live model for three hours, sculpting a head from a lump of clay, or pouring molten bronze before lunch. 🎨

Across 22 Schools — from Fine Art and Fashion to Animation & VFX, Architecture, Industrial Design, Game Development, and Jewelry & Metal Arts — our students learn hands-on from instructors who are working professionals in their fields, and it's happening in the heart of San Francisco. Some students even walk the red carpet at our NXT UP Film Festival each spring.

If you know someone who can't stop making things, send them our way. Applications are open now — link below to start.

http://academyart.edu