School of Visual Arts

SVA Closed for Juneteenth Friday, June 19

The School of Visual Arts will be closed on Friday, June 19, for Juneteenth. The College will reopen at 9:00am on Monday, June 22.

Students in SVA lounge area featuring a wall of contemporary art. One student smiles while navigating a red pin board game sculptureStudents in SVA lounge area featuring a wall of contemporary art. One student smiles while navigating a red pin board game sculpture
Wall of 50+ multiple three-dimensional color oil abstract paintings with white boarders characteristic of polaroid photographs.Wall of 50+ multiple three-dimensional color oil abstract paintings with white boarders characteristic of polaroid photographs.
Female Illustration student holding a book in her personal studio space surrounded by her own vivid paintings covering the walls on display Female Illustration student holding a book in her personal studio space surrounded by her own vivid paintings covering the walls on display
Architectural painting in muted dark gray, brown and tan colors featuring multiple rectangular divider panels and with misted orange and blue theatrical lightingArchitectural painting in muted dark gray, brown and tan colors featuring multiple rectangular divider panels and with misted orange and blue theatrical lighting
Four students exchange ideas while studying together in lounge area with laptops, books.Four students exchange ideas while studying together in lounge area with laptops, books.
Graphic mural painting comprised of many rectangular shapes in bright red, blue, white and green featuring small black human figuresGraphic mural painting comprised of many rectangular shapes in bright red, blue, white and green featuring small black human figures
Male student standing in front of wall of shelves containing artifacts, art books and sculptural objects discussing ideas with female teacher sitting at a black tableMale student standing in front of wall of shelves containing artifacts, art books and sculptural objects discussing ideas with female teacher sitting at a black table
Monochromatic mixed media drawing featuring a surreal storybook character sewing bright red buttons with a need and thread onto a vegetable-shaped head.Monochromatic mixed media drawing featuring a surreal storybook character sewing bright red buttons with a need and thread onto a vegetable-shaped head.

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The 3rd Avenue and East 23rd Street Corner Signs with an official “SVA Way” sign underneath (Left); The 23rd Street building with two SVA NYC banners hanging above as students stand below.

Welcome to our urban campus, a slice of New York City life.


A subway station poster with an illustration of a pencil shaving and the words “Stay Sharp (left); Four different posters made by SVA Faculty over the years.

“Stay Sharp” (2024) poster by Riccardo Vecchio on a subway platform (left); more SVA subway posters by (clockwise from top right) Peter Hristoff, Marshall Arisman, Gary Panter, and Carol Fabricatore.

Students reading at a round table with shelves of books around them (left); A student working on a painting on the wall while another works at a desk.

Interior of SVA Library (left); students working in a classroom facility.

A skyline showcasing differently sized buildings, some made of brick, others made of concrete.

New York City skyline as seen from the 23rd Street Residence, which exclusively houses first-year students.

An archival picture of students listening to a lecture (left); Two people observing a drawing at a desk.

An SVA drawing class circa 1960, courtesy of SVA Archives.

We are School of Visual Arts

SVA is a leader in the education of artists, designers, and creative professionals.

By the Numbers

75+

Years Educating

Artists

56

Countries

Represented

46

States

Represented

28

Degree-Granting

Programs

1,500+

Course 

Offerings

35

Extracurricular

Clubs

9:1

Student-to-Faculty

Ratio

44,000

Global Alumni

Community

#1 - Best 2D Animation School In the World

The Rookies Global School Rankings 2023, 2024, 2025

#1 - Top 50 Illustration Colleges in the U.S.

Animation Career Review College Rankings 2023, 2024, 2025

Best Fine Arts Programs

U.S. News & World Report Best Grad Schools Rankings 2026

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Our Community

Major happenings from around the College, including news, events, exhibitions, and more.

A sculptural installation on a white wall utilizing multiple wires and body-like forms covered in tangled electrical cords.A sculptural installation on a white wall utilizing multiple wires and body-like forms covered in tangled electrical cords.

June/July 2026 Exhibitions and Events

Speaker in academic regalia and a black cap stands at a podium with School of Visual Arts signage, speaking into a microphone behind floral arrangements.

Highlights and Photos SVA’s 2026 Commencement

A group of women in bright red headscarves stand outdoors beneath a clear blue sky during a gathering, while a person in the background raises a rifle.

Meet Scholarship Winner Mosab Abushama

A child in a stroller looks at a fluffy dog wearing a bow, seated in a leopard-print stroller, surrounded by adults in a busy urban setting.

SVA in Practice: R. Kikuo Johnson

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Currently on View

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Your Work Belongs at SVA

Picture yourself at SVA, where students and established artists alike exhibit work at our four brick-and-mortar galleries.

Highlighted STUDENT EXHIBITIONS

    Interested in our Summer Pre-College program?...

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    The biggest escape of leaving with the art ma...

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    Congratulations, Class of 2026! We’re so prou...

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    @SVANYC’s Latest TikToks

    A sneak peek at what our faculty and students are up to, day in and day out!

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After SVA

Our alumni go on to have extraordinary careers across a wide range of creative fields.

Recipient, Emmy Award, American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace • Director and producer, On Swift Horses • Director and executive producer, Fellow Travelers, Halston, House of Cards, and Deadwood: The Movie • Director, Game of Thrones, True Blood, Grey’s Anatomy, Six Feet Under, and Deadwood
Daniel Minahan • Film and Video
Artist, Korean Cultural Center New York mural • Author and illustrator, The Best Spot to Pee in NYC • Clients include The New Yorker, The New York Times, Random House Children’s Books, Apple, Microsoft, Toyota, United Airlines, Polaroid, Under Armour, Chobani, Blue Moon, Dr.Jart+, and Café Bustelo
Hyesu Lee • Illustration as Visual Essay
Recipient, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, National Design Award for Lifetime Achievement and AIGA Medal • Senior art director, Rolling Stone • Creative director of design, SpotCo • Permanent collection, Library of Congress • Creative director, Visual Arts Press • Chair, BFA Advertising and BFA Design, SVA
Gail Anderson • Media Arts
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There is no creative culture of New York City without SVA.


LAURIE CUMBO

Former Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, New York City