One of the aspects of ACAD that impresses me the most is its all-inclusiveness. At ACAD the cafeteria tends to be a gathering place. You can be sitting alone at a table and slowly other students will join you and it is the social dynamics of those students that is so amazing. A graying mature student will sit beside a multi-pierced Goth and they will be joined by a bashful introvert and a boisterous jock and they will all become engaged in an intense conversation about art or classes or life. Social barriers break down at ACAD; students tend to see each other as fellow artists rather than stereotypical social entities.

Favorite things about Calgary: The bike paths and river parkways, the artsy flavor of Kensington, the chinooks.

The ACAD ceramics department has great equipment and I find that every time I try something new I am surprised with the results. The technicians always take time to explain the technical stuff to me and this is one of my main interests.

I can always ask my fellow classmates for great critical feedback. I am trying to cement relationships with them so that later on in life we can feel comfortable using each other as resources.

I chose ACAD because the Visual Communications Design (VCD) program encompasses illustration, character animation, advertising and graphic design, all of which I was curious about. I felt this program, with all these streams, was the next step for continuing to strengthen and transform my art and design education.

Everyone has a unique voice in this program. There are styles and opinions you wouldn't find anywhere else that can help shape your own work. They can point out potential in your work that you would have never seen or that you ever thought you had. There is so much to be learned in your own work and it takes endless experimentation to get there.

The support from instructors and classmates is essential towards shaping your work and identity at this school. Their advice is constant and there is always someone around to relate with.

ACAD is an institute that I have always been attracted to. There are certain places and areas where creativity, art and culture are important and encouraged. ACAD is one of those places in Calgary and I wanted to be a part of that culture.

The First Year Studies program is a good opportunity to try out many different aspects, mediums and techniques in art. It allowed me to experiment with sculpture, drawing, fibre, MADT, painting, print media and other departments that I was interested in learning about.

I had no prior knowledge of any print-based art or facilities before coming to ACAD. The teachers and technicians have taught me both in class as well as one on one. They are always available to help with any questions, either conceptual or technical.

When I was choosing an art school, I researched the faculty lists to find people that I wanted to work with in my own artistic practice. Fortunately for me, the MADT program at ACAD has several strong faculty members. The faculty in MADT inspire me every day in so many different areas. I have met some very interesting international artists in Calgary. I think Calgary attracts quite a lot of media artists because of its unique characteristic that continues to expand more and more - ever since I have been here.

I first visited ACAD in the mid 1990s as a visiting artist up from New York City. I found ACAD to have one of the best art programs I'd seen, and I'd visited many schools in North America and Europe.

Through an amazing sequence of events, I'm now an instructor in the Painting Program at ACAD. Am I excited to be here? Absolutely. And I'm thrilled to tell you why. I believe ACAD still has one of the strongest undergraduate art programs, anywhere. This means you can expect to work with a community of students and internationally known instructors who are as excited and as dedicated to making art as you are. It means you can expect to be in classes with lots of individual attention. It means you will be exposed to an incredible range of people and ideas. It means you will be challenged to discover who you can be and what art can be. And here's the great part: All you have to bring is yourself, your curiosity and your motivation. So why come to ACAD? Come because it's high energy here. Come because we're not into status quo. We're into the new. We're into breaking the rules. We're into discovery. We're into creating art. Why come to ACAD? For me the question is, why wouldn't you come to ACAD?

What's great about ACAD? Its small class sizes. Plus, what sets ACAD apart is its location. I like the view from ACAD. The big horizons, accompanied by the Rockies, are amazing. I enjoy the contrast between the big natural areas and cities and suburbs here. And Calgary is not too big, not too small. It's a good environment to focus on what you want to do.

Also for me, it's great being able to take art history classes at the same time with studios. I like it the best that I can work at my own pace and be able to concentrate on my art. Calgary is a multicultural city with a cold yet enjoyable winter. I can say that hot chocolate tastes better here than anywhere else. And summer here is gorgeous!

I value the community and the conversations that are built through relationships with students and teachers. Our population is diverse and there is so much to learn! There is so much offered to the students at ACAD - it is such a great place that encourages growth in all ways.

After a practicum that I took through ACAD, I got a job as a general staff member at TRUCK (an artist-run centre). I update files, clean archive materials, strike and set up shows. It has made me work hard and become really good at time management. Working at TRUCK has also showed me the community outside of ACAD. There is a lot of collaboration and teamwork within the artist-run centres so that the community can thrive.

The community outside of the college is closely knit. It's much like the atmosphere at school where you know people and you work together to make great things happen in the city. Each gallery and artist-run centre offers a lot to the public.