From live figure studies to cutting-edge technologies and con­ceptual approaches, as a Bachelor of Fine Arts student at SVA, you’ll gain the creative foundation and analytical skills you need to enter a myriad of professions and graduate programs. The BFA Fine Arts department focuses on nurturing contemporary artists who can apply their aesthetic, cultural and intellectual merits to their communities and the global world at large.   

You’ll have access to a diverse faculty of renowned and accomplished artists who will provide you with professional mentorship while fostering novel expression and independent thinking. Our location in the Chelsea Neighborhood puts you in the heart of the art world, just walking distance from a vast number of art museums and galleries.

We invite you to get to know us better and learn how you can flourish as a fine artist at SVA. Ready to get started with your application? Complete our online application form and submit your portfolio today!

You’ll choose from concentrations in all art forms, from painting and drawing to sculpture, performance & media arts, installation and printmaking among others. You will have direct access to our state-of-the-art facilities including our cutting-edge Fine Arts Bio Art Lab, where students experiment with the tools and methods of science to make art. Our woodshop, metalshop, plaster and ceramics spaces are extended with our unique 3D digital sculpture program, which includes computer-driven cutting machines for fabricat­ing in various materials as well as 3D printers, scanners and the latest dedicated software. You'll also have access to our extensive video, photo, sound, and fibers facilities.

You’ll learn and be mentored by faculty members that are a vital part of the New York creative scene, consisting of practicing artists, critics and curators whose work has earned both national and international recognition. The volume and access to our instructors is unmatched, allowing you to directly connect with an art professional who inspires you and supports your creative efforts. These experts will lead you through an engaging, interactive educational experience that includes events and class visits to museums, galleries and artists’ studios, preparing you for professional-level experience in the fine arts. With Chelsea’s rich art scene of galleries and museums at our doorstep, it is an inspiring neighborhood for you to develop as a contemporary artist.

You will be assigned a private studio during your senior year frequented by visiting artists, curators, and critics. Our central location means that your studios are easily accessible to the most influential and important figures in the art world. At the end of each semester, we invite dealers and curators to Open Studios, which showcase your artwork. It is a twice-yearly chance for you to make important networking connections. 

Professional opportunities inside and outside SVA will prepare you for job placements and career development. For example, you might land a studio job assisting an instructor or a visiting artist, which could open doors to a gallery, leading to your first show.

Our alumni have worked at major art museums, animation and film studios, educational venues, art therapy programs, public art commissions, advertising agencies, architectural offices, design companies and illustration careers. Some of our alumni have started their own businesses in allied art professions–such as fabrication, art curating and dealing, fine arts services, photography and web development–using the foundation and expertise they learned in the SVA Fine Arts department.