Tama Art University

History of Tama Art University

1935

Tama Imperial Art School founded in Kaminoge, Tokyo

1947

Tama Imperial Art School accredited as an educational institution
Name changed to Tama Art and Design School

1950

Tama Art Junior College founded
Instruction resumed at the Kaminoge campus

1953
Tama Art and Design School renamed Tama Art University (TAU), consisting of:
  • Department of Painting
  • Department of Sculpture
  • Department of Design
1954

Tama Geijutsu Gakuen (Tama School of Art) founded

1964

Graduate School founded, the first school of its kind at a private art university in Japan

1971

The undergraduate departments of the university began to move to the new campus of Hachioji

1972

Students' hall, gymnasium, school buildings, library, and the Art Reference Collection Center completed

1976

Ceremony commemorating 40th anniversary held

1981

Academic exchange with the Art Center College of Design (USA) began

1983

Research Bulletin of Tama Art University first issued

1984

1st TAMA VIVANT exhibition held by the Department of Art Studies

1986

Ceremony commemorating 50th anniversary held
Annals of Tama Art University published

1987

Art Japan since 1969/MONO-HA and POST MONO-HA commemorating 50th anniversary and TAMABIVENTS exhibition held

1989

The Art and Design Evening Division opened at the Kaminoge campus

1991

Academic exchange agreement signed with the School of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University (China)

1992

Graphic Arts Course established in TAU
Prints Exchange Exhibition with the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland) held
TAMABI NEWS first issued

1994

Hachioji campus expanded and the construction of new school buildings began
The Art Reference Collection Center renamed the Tama Art University Museum

1995

Symbol of TAU created
Graduate School offered day and night courses
Advertising Design; Past and Present exhibition
commemorating 60th anniversary held
1st Tokyo International Mini Print Triennial held

1996

Academic exchange agreement signed with Hongik University and Dong-A University (Korea)

1998
With the addition of new departments, the Faculty of Art and Design reorganized as 8 departments:
  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Ceramic, Glass, and Metal Works
  • Graphic Design
  • Product and Textile Design
  • Architecture and Environmental Design
  • Information Design
  • Art Studies
Master's Degree Program founded
Open classes by the Faculty of Art and Design began
Exchange Exhibition of Professors in the Three East-Asia Countries held in Korea
1999
The Art and Design Evening Division closed
Faculty of Art and Communication Evening Division established at the Kaminoge campus, consisting of
  • Department of Fine Arts
  • Department of Design
  • Department of Moving Images and Performing Arts
2nd Tokyo International Mini Print Triennial held
2000

Lifelong Learning Program began
Tama Art University Museum moved to new premises at Tama Center
Academic exchange agreement signed with Aalto University [formerly the University of Art and Design, Helsinki] (Finland)

2001

Doctoral Degree Program founded
20th Century Poster Design Exhibition held

2002

3rd Tokyo International Mini Print Triennial held at TAU Museum; Princess Norinomiya attended opening ceremony

2003

15 TRACKS: Contemporary Southeast Asian Art held
Exchange Exhibition of Professors in the Three East-Asia Countries held

2004

First graduate students awarded doctorates

2005

Homecoming Day 2005 held at Hachioji campus to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the foundation of Tama Art University
Academic exchange agreement signed with Central Academy of Fine Arts (China)

2006

Institute for Art Anthropology established
"Pacific Rim" research project conducted in collaboration with Art Center College of Design (USA)

2008

Host of the cross-cultural exchange and international critique sessions "CO-CORE", a competitive grant program for improving graduate school education(held at Beijing, Helsinki and Tokyo)
Visits to Rwanda and Uganda as part of the Banana Textile Project
Initiation of an international exchange program with Berlin University of the Arts (Germany)

2010

Establishment of the alternative space "Akiba Tamabi 21" (inside 3331 Arts Chiyoda) for the purpose of supporting graduates' exhibition activities
Inauguration of Igarashi Takenobu as President

2011

Initiation of an international exchange program with Malmo University (Sweden)

2012

Addition of Performing Arts Course to the Art Studies Major (Master's Degree)
Initiation of international exchange programs with Taipei National University of the Arts, Gerrit Rietveld Academie (the Netherlands), National Taiwan University of Arts, National Institute of Design (India), and Royal College of Art (UK)

2013

Academic exchange agreement signed with the College of Fine Arts, Seoul National University (Korea), College of Art and Design, Ewha Womans University (Korea), Oslo National Academy of the Arts (Norway), and the Glasgow School of Art (UK)

2014

The Department of Integrated Design and the Department of Scenography Design, Drama, and Dance were founded at the Kaminoge campus
Faculty of Art and Communication Evening Division closed

Academic exchange agreement signed with Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts, University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
2015

Inauguration of TATEHATA Akira as a President
Art-Theque was established
Ceremony commemorating 80th anniversary held
Academic exchange agreement signed with University of Cincinnati (USA)

2016

Academic exchange agreement signed with École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (France), Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London (UK), and Rhode Island School of Design (USA)

2018

Addition of Integrated Design Course and Scenography Design, Drama, and Dance Major to the Graduate School of Art and Design (Master’s Degree)
Establishment of the Art Achieve Center
Academic exchange agreement signed with École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (Switzerland), and University of Applied Arts Vienna (Austria)

2019

Inauguration of AOYAGI Masanori as a Chairman of Board of Directors

2020

Launch of TCL-Tama Art University Creative Leadership Program, a course for businesspersons aimed at the social implementation of Design Management.

2021

The Tamabi Olive Dorm, university-managed dormitory, was established adjacent to the Hachioji Campus.
Tama Art University TUB (in Tokyo Midtown Design Hub) was established.

2022

The art supply store Sekaido opened on campus.

2023

NAITO Hiroshi was appointed president of the university.