School of Visual Arts

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.
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.

Accelerate Your
Creativity

Accelerate Your
Critical Thinking

Accelerate Your
Artistic Awakening

Accelerate Your
Ingenuity

Accelerate Your
Creative Vision

Accelerate Your
Professional Growth

Accelerate Your
Inventiveness

Accelerate Your
Collaboration Skills

Learn MoreApply
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

27

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

See More Rankings

Our Community

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

a black and white drawing of a man kneeling in front of a bridge with a train passing on ita black and white drawing of a man kneeling in front of a bridge with a train passing on it

3x3 Honors SVA Artists in its Annual Illustration Awards

a person stands behind a booth of artist comics and books and motions towards the work

Meet Cartoonist and Illustrator Caitlin Du

A photograph of a man with a close-cropped haircut and beard wearing an all-black outfit and sitting before a colorful backdrop.

Abdool Corlette on His Work as ACLU’s Head of Brand

A man with a shaved head and beard wearing a reddish orange short-sleeved shirt and jeans stands with his arms folded in an art studio.

Jesse Kirsch’s ‘Hyperlocal’ Approach to Design

READ MORE FEATURES

Currently on View

A Vivid Blur

A whiteish paste-like fluid appears pressed between a background and a pane of glass, with bubbles and freeform shapes appearing in and extruding from the glass.

SVA Chelsea Gallery

Sep 1 - Oct 30

Reception: Sep 10, 6:00 - 8:00pm

Brad Holland: Making It Personal

Poster for "Brad Holland: Making It Personal" exhibition showing a self-portrait by the artist, the exhibition title, dates, and location details.

SVA Gramercy Gallery

Sep 8 - 19

Reception: Sep 9, 6:00 - 8:00pm

Building Books. Corraini Edizioni: Children, Art, Design, and Everything Else

Promotional graphic showing the title "Building Books" in stylized blocky letters with the subtitle "Corraini Edizioni: Children, Art, Design, and Everything Else" overlayed in a diagonal within the "N," and additional location, dates, and sponsor information displayed around the text.

SVA Flatiron Gallery

Sep 8 - 28

Reception: Sep 8, 6:00 - 8:00pm

A Vivid Blur

A whiteish paste-like fluid appears pressed between a background and a pane of glass, with bubbles and freeform shapes appearing in and extruding from the glass.

SVA Chelsea Gallery

Sep 1 - Oct 30

Reception: Sep 10, 6:00 - 8:00pm

Brad Holland: Making It Personal

Poster for "Brad Holland: Making It Personal" exhibition showing a self-portrait by the artist, the exhibition title, dates, and location details.

SVA Gramercy Gallery

Sep 8 - 19

Reception: Sep 9, 6:00 - 8:00pm

Building Books. Corraini Edizioni: Children, Art, Design, and Everything Else

Promotional graphic showing the title "Building Books" in stylized blocky letters with the subtitle "Corraini Edizioni: Children, Art, Design, and Everything Else" overlayed in a diagonal within the "N," and additional location, dates, and sponsor information displayed around the text.

SVA Flatiron Gallery

Sep 8 - 28

Reception: Sep 8, 6:00 - 8:00pm

SEE MORE EVENTS

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

    BFA Fine Arts student Christine gives us a qu... View on TikTok

    Sometimes we need a little push 🤭 (feat. SVA... View on TikTok

    Join BFA Illustration student Merry on a Food... View on TikTok

    @SVANYC’s Latest TikToks

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

VISIT OUR TIKTOKVISIT OUR YOUTUBE

After SVA

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

Two-time nominee, Emmy Award, The Nevers • Visual effects supervisor and second unit director, The Nevers • Visual effects supervisor, The Penguin • Visualization artist, Deadpool & Wolverine • CG supervisor, Star Trek Into Darkness and Pacific Rim • Effects animator, Spider-Man 3 and Superman Returns
Johnny Han • Computer Art
Artist, One and Three Chairs and Five Words in Green Neon • Artist, Ni apparence ni illusion, Musée du Louvre • Author, Art After Philosophy • Permanent collection, The Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Joseph Kosuth • Fine Arts
Co-founder and vice president, Titmouse, Inc. • Three-time nominee, Emmy Award • Executive producer, Big Mouth, Beavis and Butt-Head, Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, The Venture Bros., and Nerdland • Supervising producer, Metalocalypse • Co-founder and president, Titmouse Foundation
Shannon Prynoski • Film and Video
See More Alumni

There is no creative culture of New York City without SVA.


LAURIE CUMBO

Former Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, New York City