It has no connection whatsoever with Visual College of Art and Design (VCAD) in Vancouver which is owned by the for-profit education company Eminata.

It was an artist-run school whose staff also included Jack Wise, Bill Porteous, Flemming Jorgensen, and James Gordaneer.

Northwest Coast Institute of Arts shared the building on Lower Fort Street with Open Space, an exhibition gallery and performance centre founded in 1972 by Gene Miller, another American expatriate.

[1][2] Kyle would serve as VCA's director for the next 25 years and in 1981 led the whole school in a year-long experiment in geometric abstract painting.

The intention of the university's president David Strong was to expand UCW's program offerings and start a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Such, a Professor Emeritus of York University, had originally been hired by UCW to revive the art school's fortunes after the drastic drop in enrollment.

At the time of the purchase, Such said that he planned to finance the school with his own funds until it was on a viable footing and then turn it over to a non-profit board and arts agency.