Frank Lloyd Wright’s School of Architecture at Taliesin (SoAT), a 90-year old standing legacy, is set to shut in June after the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation failed to reach a financial agreement.
Board members decided on January 25 to close the school, deciding days later that the School and Foundation could not reach an agreement.
The Foundation and School developed a proposal to continue operating the school during a transition period lasting through July 2021, attempting to develop programs not requiring accreditation.
The Foundation deemed in a public statement “that the School did not have a sustainable business model that would allow it to maintain its operation as an accredited program,” its plans are to continue education K-12 on both its campuses.
“The Foundation had reached an agreement with the leaders of SoAT Board that would have allowed for second- and third-year students to complete their education at Taliesin and Taliesin West.”
“We are disappointed that it was not approved by the full SoAT Board. We continue to stand ready to assist in making sure that this change occurs in the best interest of the students.”
Approximately 30 students are enrolled at the school, which is negotiating to transfer student credits and degree completion with Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
