Pacific Northwest College of Art | Portland, OR Art School

Art School in the Middle of the Action

At PNCA, Portland is the classroom. Skip the sleepy college town vibes. Our students sketch in the Pearl District, animate ideas across from the Portland Art Museum, and grab coffee where gallery shows are born. This isn’t your average art school. It’s Oregon’s creative epicenter.

More Than Just a Campus

PNCA Is Portland’s Creative Front Porch

Our faculty are working artists. Our studios are stacked. And our front door opens to the Portland Art Museum, the Pearl District, and Powell’s. Come walk the same blocks our students do every day and see what it’s like to live, learn, and create in one of the most dynamic cities in the country.

We want you to visit

Creating art in the Pacific Northwest

Overlooking the city of Portland, Oregon

PNCA campus building in Portland, Oregon

We believe art should challenge, connect, and change the world

Today’s artists want more than a polished portfolio. They want purpose. At PNCA, that purpose is part of the process.

You Want to Make Art That Matters

So Do We

For Laura Quintero Anton BFA’25, art is a tool for justice. Her thesis project, El Camino Del Quetzal, tells the real-life story of a Guatemalan immigrant’s journey from crossing the Rio Grande to life in an ICE detention camp. With bold textures, vibrant color, and deep empathy, Laura created a book that moved audiences to tears.

Explore how PNCA supports socially engaged artists

With guidance from Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Molly Mendoza BFA’14 and a community that shares her values, Laura’s work honors her roots and uplifts others.

Claire Came to PNCA for a Degree and Left With a Career

At many art schools, students are expected to stay in their lane. One track. One medium. One critique group. But Claire Frances Spaulding MFA/MA’25 found something different at PNCA. She found the freedom to explore, combine disciplines, and build a practice that’s entirely her own. With mentorship, community, and bold creative opportunities, Claire turned her personal passion into a professional path.

Most Grad Schools Hand You a Syllabus

PNCA Handed Claire a Spotlight

At PNCA, Claire pursued two graduate degrees, merged scholarship with studio work, and found a creative community that lifted her up and into the Portland arts scene.

Read how PNCA supports emerging artists like Claire

From conferences in New York to group exhibitions across the West Coast, Claire turned her passion for kitsch, ecology, and flamingos into a voice that’s both playful and powerful.

Our programs

Explore PNCA

Discover how you can turn knowledge into action through our undergraduate and graduate programs, or take a closer look at what it’s like to live and learn in the Pacific Northwest.

Undergraduate Programs Graduate Programs Life at PNCA

Visit Our Campus

A visit is the best way to immerse yourself in our vibrant campus and city. Come by for a campus tour, and an admissions counselor will help review your portfolio ahead of your application.

Plan Your Visit