Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts  traces its origins to the Lu Xun Academy of Arts, founded in Yan'an in 1938. It adopted its current name in 1958 and was designated in 2019 as a key provincially supported institution for the development of first-class domestic universities in Liaoning Province.

The LAFA–Bunka International Fashion Institute was established in 2011 as a joint venture between Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts and Bunka Gakuen of Japan. In 2021, its Apparel and Accessories Design program was recognized as a National First-Class Undergraduate Program Development Site.

The School of Visual Communication Design grew out of the Decoration program founded in 1955. It was renamed in 2015 and has likewise been accredited as a National First-Class Undergraduate Program Development Site.