A new street sign commemorating New York’s School of Visual Arts (SVA) was added to East 23rd Street between Second and Third Avenues last week, the location of the art college’s headquarters since 1960. “SVA Way,” the culmination of a two-year collective effort by the school, the Department of Transportation, and the New York City Council, was unveiled in a ceremony attended by local representatives and SVA community members.
Initially beginning as a trade school for cartoonists and illustrators, SVA has undergone significant transformations over the course of its 77-year history, such as taking on a new name in 1956 to better reflect its mission of arts education.
The school has since greatly expanded, growing its faculty of three to over 1,100 and New York City student enrollment from 35 to more than 6,000; in addition to acquiring new studios, classrooms, and exhibition spaces in Lower Manhattan including the long-running Gramercy Gallery (formerly the Visual Arts Museum) located on SVA Way.
“For almost 75 years, SVA has enjoyed a strong presence on East 23rd Street, where generations of aspiring artists have passed through the doors of our flagship building,” SVA President David Rhodes said in a statement.
“Essential to that history are the many businesses and community members we are lucky to call our neighbors, and we are grateful for their support, as well as the elected officials who have helped make this honor possible,” Rhodes added.
