Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, referred to as "Mei Tian", is located in the center of Tianjin and is one of the earliest public institutions of higher learning in China. Its predecessor was Beiyang Women's Normal School founded by China modern educator Fu Zengxiang on 1906. After several renaming, it was officially renamed Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts on 1980. In 2008, the college was approved as an innovative experimental area of national talent training model. It is one of the eight most influential art colleges in China and an important art education and research center in northern China.
College 1984 began to recruit graduate students. By the end of 2009, the college had two master's programs in fine arts and design art, two municipal key disciplines (fine arts and art design), 1 national experimental teaching demonstration center and 1 municipal excellent experimental center. The college covers an area of 94 mu, with a school building area of 87,900 square meters and more than 3,600 students, including graduate students, undergraduates and international students.