The Art Institute of York-Pennsylvania traces its history back to 1952, when the York Academy of Arts was established by local artists to meet the community’s needs for training in the visual arts. Thirty years later the school became part of the Antonelli Institute of Art & Photography group, with headquarters in Philadelphia. In 1988, the school became Bradley Academy for the Visual Arts and once again became an independent school continuing to provide area employers with well-trained graduates. In 1997, the school moved to its current location, a contemporary 38,000 square foot building in east York. In 2003, the school was acquired by The Art Institutes International, Inc, a leader in creative education in the United States. In support of that acquisition, the school changed its name to The Art Institute of York–Pennsylvania in 2007.

The Art Institute of York-Pennsylvania facilities, which includes an additional 7,500 square feet of administrative and classroom space located in a facility adjacent to the School’s primary facility, contain over 20 classrooms and studios, a student computer commons, a gallery, an art store, and library. Additionally, the school maintains desktop computer labs containing over 60 Apple Macintosh and Windows computers. All labs are equipped with large (11x17) or small format color scanners and access to over one terabyte of network storage. The computer labs are supported by two Epson Stylus 7600 color printers, multiple HP LaserJet 5000 series printers, and an HP DesignJet color plotter.
the art institute of york–pennsylvania maintains a building-wide local area network and high-speed Internet connectivity. All lab computers have a direct connection to the Internet. In support of our laptop initiative, all network resources are available using wireless technology throughout the school premises.

Specialized resource areas such as an Interior Design resource room, graphics lab, display windows, and vignette space allow students to apply the skills learned in the classroom.

Ample parking, which is situated on a seven-acre lot, is available at the school, at no cost.