The Department of Art and Art History is proud of its extraordinary relationship with the Kunsthochschule at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. Our two programs have worked together since the 1970’s and have had a direct student exchange for more than a decade. This direct student exchange is a dynamic forum for the free exchange of creative ideas.
The Mainz Direct Exchange Program offers Chico State art students a unique opportunity to study art in an environment that is both deeply historical and simultaneously among one of the most contemporary creative experiences available. The Johannes Gutenberg University is a cutting edge institution in which the arts thrive.
Mainz sits on the river Rhine with artifacts and architecture that date back to the Ancient Roman period, and a well-preserved old town, medieval market squares, museums, and galleries. Of significant historical importance, Mainz is where Johannes Gutenberg introduced the first movable type printing press around 1450. Students in the program have installed public art pieces and been covered in the German press.