Delaware College of Art and Design, a private art school in Wilmington, announced Thursday it will be closing its doors at the end of the spring semester.
The college said they will be "winding down operations in the coming weeks" before closing permanently.
DCAD has faced ongoing challenges, including - a shrinking pool of college-age students, rising operational costs and unexpected issues surrounding the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, college officials said.
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“This decision was incredibly difficult, and we explored every possible avenue to avoid it,” DCAD President Jean Dahlgren shared in a news release. “However, declining enrollment over several years, including for the upcoming year, has made it impossible for us to continue effectively offering our educational programs.”
The college has agreements with the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and Moore College of Art and Design to accept incoming students and rising second-year students, including the credits they had earned at DCAD.
On Saturday, school officials shared an update after representatives from these schools worked to help students plan their transitions.
“We understand this news may cause stress and uncertainty,” Dahlgren said. “We are dedicated to minimizing the impact on our students during this transition and are committed to helping our faculty and staff pursue future opportunities.”
Founded in 1997, DCAD was made possible by a partnership with Pratt Institute and the Corcoran College of Art and Design.
The college offered associate degree programs in animation, fine arts, game art, graphic design, illustration, and photography/video.
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