School of Visual Arts
has been a leader in the education of artists, designers, and creative professionals for more than seven decades.
With a faculty of distinguished working professionals, dynamic curriculum, and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility.
SVA was established by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth in 1947 as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School.
The school began with three teachers and 35 students, most of whom were World War II veterans who had a substantial part of their tuition underwritten by the G.I. Bill.
The College was renamed the School of Visual Arts in 1956. The first degrees were offered in 1972, and by 1983, the College had introduced its first graduate offering, a master of Fine Arts in painting, drawing, and sculpture.
