Art Institute Of Pittsburgh's Future In Jeopardy?

PITTSBURGH, PA - The Art Institute of Pittsburgh’s long-term future is in question after its owner, Pittsburgh-based Dream Center Education Holdings, confirmed plans to close the majority of its campuses nationwide.

Dream Center plans to shutter 30 campuses, including its Philadelphia branch. That move will leave Pittsburgh as the only city in Pennsylvania with an art institute. Dream Center will keep campuses in Seattle, Virginia Beach, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Austin, Henderson, NV; Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, San Diego and North Hollywood.

In a statement to The News & Observer in Raleigh, Dream Center spokeswoman Anne Dean said, “"We have been undergoing an ongoing process of evaluating the viability of certain campus-based programs relative to student needs and preferences in order to best support our students, both present and future. As a result of that examination, we have made the decision to cease new enrollments for a number of schools within the Art Institutes.”

Dream Center purchased the art institutes last year from Education Management Corp., which on Friday filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Delaware. The move will enable the company to liquidate.

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