About
The creative spirit has shaped, designed, and created much of what we value in our visual world. Become the artist you know you can be at Northwest College of Art.

History

In 1982, Northwest Art Center was founded by Craig Freeman, a San Francisco Bay Area artist, who created the school based on two simple, yet profound ideas. First, that art is a business, and second, that if you want to be a successful, professional artist you should have the opportunity to learn from other successful, professional artists who can teach you what they do for a living.

Northwest Art Center became Northwest College of Art (NCA) in 1987. It has remained dedicated to its focus as a professional school of art, owned and operated by a professional artist, with classes taught by professional artists and designers — NCA provides an educational experience designed for emerging artists and designers.

Originally located on the waterfront of Liberty Bay, NCA relocated in 1991 to its current site on the beautiful 26-acre campus that was once the Mains Manor Estate, creating a visual delight of nature and beauty that continues to be a constant source of inspiration for the creative spirit. The Manor was built in 1950 by Nane Brennen, an immigrant from Scotland, whose family made their fortune in the textile industry. (Nane grew up with the Queen of England and it is rumored that the Queen visited her at the Manor on several occasions).

The college has always been a specialized school of art, beginning its journey with a small student body and a two-year certificate program. As the years went by, the college grew in size and the demand for a degree program prompted Mr. Freeman to expand the curriculum to an associate degree level.

Nestled between the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, with Seattle just a short ferry ride away, students enjoy the amenities of a world class city and the beauty and inspiring landscapes that are among the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Today, NCA continues its history of positive growth, offering a double major B.F.A. degree in Visual Communication in 36 months. For almost 30 years, NCA has maintained its mission to educate and prepare individuals for the creative arts world. We invite you to be a part of our exciting and challenging future.

Location

Craig Freeman Northwest College of Art is located at the Mains Manor Estate in Poulsbo, Washington, on the Kitsap Peninsula, 9 miles from the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal. From there, it is just a 35-minute ferry ride to the heart of downtown Seattle. Our picturesque 26-acre campus serves as a constant source of visual inspiration.

Students are surrounded by a magnificent view of the Olympic Mountain Range and shimmering Liberty Bay. Students may sketch and paint in the gardens and fields just a few steps from the classrooms. These natural surroundings are special elements not found on urban campuses. Due to Northwest College of Art’s unique location, our students benefit from Seattle’s city excitement, the rural beauty of Kitsap County, and convenient proximity to charming downtown Poulsbo and other thriving municipalities. The Kitsap Peninsula is home to a wide variety of restaurants, specialty shops and boutiques, and major department stores. Less than an hour away, Seattle offers an array of museums, galleries, and a variety of other cultural destinations.

Facilities

The Northwest College of Art facilities consist of an upper and lower campus, each with classrooms equipped for lecture and studio work. Ample parking is available.

The Lower Campus is equipped with 10,000 square feet of classrooms, painting studios, a photographic darkroom, computer labs, gallery space, administrative offices, and an art supply store. A color copier with full size reduction and enlargement capabilities is also available for student use.

  • The college currently has two fully equipped computer labs that include Apple Macintosh computers, scanners, and cd/dvd burners. Wireless internet is also available. Computer software in word processing, desktop publishing, graphic design, photo manipulation and multimedia are available.
  • The darkroom has developing and printing work areas for black and white photography.
  • Our pottery studio contains a 4” Super Duper Clay Extruder, three Shimpo basic potter’s wheels, one 23” Crucible electric kiln, a steel drum Raku kiln, 100k BTU propane burner assembly with Baso safety system, and an analog pyrometer.

The Freeman Gallery prepares exhibits for professionals, NCA students, and faculty. The halls are reserved for current student projects in photography, computer graphics, illustration, fine art and design. The school maintains a library with collections for each of the program majors, color print collections and annual publications of design, illustration, fine art, and photography.

The student lounge is open to students throughout the day and includes space and furniture that facilitates student studying and relaxation during their time on campus.

Our Upper Campus offers approximately 3,600 square feet of space. The building houses 2 large painting studios, a lecture room, and a gallery tiled in beautiful Brazilian black slate. One of the painting studios offers a garden view and southern exposure. Both studios offer ample light and vaulted ceilings. Other equipment for student use includes easels, drafting tables, and drawing horses.

Campus Security

High traffic areas of the campus are under remote camera surveillance 4 hours per day. The Northwest College of Art reserves the right to monitor the campus for the safety and security of everyone.

Click the following link to download the most recent Annual Security Report: 2010 Annual Security Report