What makes SACI special?
SACI is increasingly imitated, but it has never been duplicated. Founded by artist Jules Maidoff in 1975, and incorporated in 1976 as a not-for-profit US institution, SACI is the oldest and most prestigious American art school in Florence. SACI’s courses are fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). SACI is distinguished not only by its remarkable breadth of course offerings—in areas ranging from studio art, design, crafts, art history, art conservation, and Italian culture and language—but by its commitment to ensuring that students gain maximum exposure to Italian art and culture. SACI students enroll in a wide array of courses, including a number offered at no other American program in Italy. Students attend lectures by established and emerging international artists, film nights that feature classic and contemporary Italian films (with English subtitles), and cooking classes in which students learn how to prepare Tuscan dishes and to understa