The institution was founded as a cost-free school of painting, sculpture and architecture under the former name Escola Gratuïta de Disseny by the Catalan trade council in 1775. In 1849 the school became a member of the provincial academies of arts in Spain (Acadèmies Provincials de Belles Arts), and in 1900 it became autonomous. Today, the ancient school is divided into the faculty of fine arts of the University of Barcelona and the vocational art school, named Escola Superior de Disseny i d’Art Llotja.