Sterling Boulevard: Art Comes to Eastern Loudoun

This past week, high school seniors across the county became high school graduates. For many, the obvious question is “what next?” For some, the answer is closer than they might think.

This summer, Sterling became home to the Art Institute of Washington-Northern Virginia. The school is operating out of temporary offices at Dulles Town Center while the finishing touches are being put on its 19,000 square foot facility nearby on Atlantic Boulevard. Right now, the office is concentrating on recruiting, but come October, students will hit the books as they pursue bachelors or associates degrees in design, media arts, culinary arts, and fashion.

The school is a branch of the Art Institute of Atlanta and part of the system that includes 40 schools nationwide. It will be a sister school to the location in Arlington, Va—the Art Institute of Washington. For Sam Ortiz, the campus director, the reasons to expand into Loudoun are obvious. “Loudoun County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country. It’s accessible and beautiful."Ortiz has seen applicants from almost age every group—not just recent graduates. In this tough economy, many older students are going back to school to retrain, get new skills, or finally get a job they really love.The new school also promises to become involved in the Sterling community. In addition to classes, Ortiz plans to incorporate a gallery into the new campus, reach out to the local artists, and participate in area events. “We bring a lot of creativity into the community," said Ortiz "and we plan to become more engaged in this area."

For more information, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/northern-virginia.