The Accademia was founded in 1751 on the initiative of a group of Genoese artists and nobles belonging to illustrious, historic families, with extensive relations across Europe and open to the most innovative ideas. As Institute of Higher Education in Art (AFAM section of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research), today the Ligustica is the benchmark for those who wish to make art their profession, thanks to its first and second level Academic Diploma courses, divided into schools of: Painting, Sculpture, Decoration, Set Design, Graphic Art, Artistic Design for Business, Art Teaching and New Technologies of Art.