The Escola Superior de Disseny de les Illes Balears is the only state school of Mallorca with an educational offer of artistic education, one of the first in Spain to impart the non university superior studies and the only one of the Comunitat Autònoma de les Illes Balears with higher studies of design.

The Escola Superior de Disseny de les Illes Balears has its  origin in the Escuela Gratuita de Dibujo, whose ideas were taken from the Ilustration period. It was founded by the "Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País" in 1779, and it is the second oldest in Spain.

The history of the artistic education in Spain starts in the year 1758 in Barcelona (in 1779 in Palma), but two milestones mark the evolution of these studies during the 20th century.

In 1963 the Real Decreto 2127/1963 was published, that it regulates the plan of studies of the title of Graduate in Applied Arts, structured in three common courses and two of speciality for each section. This is the first time in Spain that the word "design" appears i an official plan of studies. 
The Ley Orgánica 1/1990, de 3 de octubre, General del Sistema Educativo incorporates the education of plastic arts and design to the Spanish educational system like education of special regime. 

Since the course 2000-2001, the school imparts the higher studies of design in the specialities of Graphic, Product and Interiors Design. The first promotion graduated in 2003-2004, when the Fashion Design speciality was implanted. The first promotion of Fashion Design students finished their studies in the course 2006-2007. 

Since LOGSE of 1990, the Escola Superior de Disseny de les Illes Balears also has vocational studies of plastic arts and design of Artistic Jewellery, Illustration and Artistic Photography.