Artist Residency Programs
SVAi: The Future of Design, Branding, and Marketing
Executive creative director of digital marketing
This intensive residency is designed for post-grads and emerging professionals ready to explore the future of branding, design, advertising, and marketing through the lens of AI.
The first two weeks of the program are conducted remotely, with all classes, lectures, and guest speakers accessible online. The final week takes place in person in New York City, and students will have access to SVA's Open Studios in the MFA Interaction Design Department. The program merges creative thinking with hands-on experimentation across multiple AI platforms, and is designed to help students become fluent, flexible, and fearless with AI-because no single AI platform dominates the future of design.
Through workshops, critiques, and guided projects, participants will explore how AI is merging disciplines that once lived in silos-design, branding, storytelling, social media, strategy-and redefining what it means to be a visual communicator. An emphasis will be placed on partnering with LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude, and image generators like Midjourney, Leonardo, Krea, and Sora-platforms that allow for a more iterative process to help bridge the gap between human imagination and prompt engineering.
Through a dynamic mix of studio intensives (daily collaborative sessions focused on real briefs and campaigns), AI-driven design labs, and both live and simulcast panels, residents will create portfolio-ready work that solves real-world challenges. During lab time, students will apply the AI practices being taught-either working on course assignments or, should they choose, using these techniques to elevate and refine their existing portfolio. This is a program about purpose, relevance, and fluency-whether you're accelerating the path you've been on or blazing an entirely new career direction, all while mastering AI practices.
Led by longtime SVA instructor, and career advertising executive creative director, John Rea, students will meet and learn from leaders in branding and technology. Meet industry pioneers and connect with creative teams from agencies and studios through live demos and panel discussions that offer insight into the industry's ongoing evolution.Participants will leave with portfolio-ready work, smart strategies for building a creative career, and a deeper understanding of how to bring purpose and originality to AI-powered storytelling. Note: Tuition includes access to the AI tools and models used throughout the program.
Technical Requirements The School of Visual Arts online programs are hosted in Canvas, our College-wide learning system. Most computers (5 years old or newer recommended) can access the program(s) without a problem. The programs work with Windows (Windows 7 and newer), Macintosh (Mac OSX 10.10 and newer), and Linux (chromeOS). Participants will need a minimum screen size of 800x600 (the average size of a netbook) and good broadband (Minimum of 512kbps) Internet connection to participate in the online programs.
Accessing Your Online Program One business day after completing registration, you will receive a confirmation email from the Registrar's Office which includes a schedule, username and password.
Didn't get the confirmation email?
- Search for an email with subject line: "Your SVA Class Schedule" - sometimes the email goes to spam or junk.
- Search an alternate email address that you might have used to register.
- Reach out to registrar@sva.edu to request for the confirmation email to be resent.
Steps to Access Your Online Program
- Login to myid.sva.edu
- Select the Canvas LMS icon
- The Canvas application is your online classroom. Here you can find your Zoom links and program materials such as supply lists, discussion boards, recorded lectures, etc. You will use Zoom for live video meetings. Your instructor will show you around how their particular program is organized.
- For more information on Canvas, please visit the online courses section of the SVAIT User Guide.
Don't see your program in Canvas?
- You should see your program on your Canvas dashboard by 5:00 PM one day before the first class session.
- If you are still having trouble finding your program through Canvas, please reach out to olt@sva.edu
Issues logging in?
- Reach out to helpdesk@sva.edu .
Trying to access the Adobe Creative Suite?
- Please reference the SVA User Guide here for further instruction.