School of Visual Arts (SVA)
MFA Visual Narrative
136 West 21st St., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10011
Applications are currently open for the MFA in Visual Narrative program at the School of Visual Arts, a flexible, low-residency program built on an innovative approach to storytelling through the education of the “Artist as Author.” Equal emphasis is placed on creative writing and visual expression. The program is designed for educators, professionals and recent graduates from all creative disciplines interested in incorporating visual narrative into their art practice. Applicants with both traditional and figurative art backgrounds in areas such as animation, graphic design, illustration, digital art, fine art, interactive design and multimedia, including film, are welcome.
The program is comprised of three eight-week, summer sessions at SVA, connected by two years of online study during the fall and spring semesters. During the three summer intensives, students attend classes, workshops and seminars, concentrating on advanced writing, digital media and technique. SVA housing is available. The fall and spring semesters are dedicated to a curriculum of rich, online independent study courses in advanced creative writing and larger full-story original content courses. The department has also just opened up a full Risograph printing facility.
Some modest merit-based department scholarships are available to incoming and returning students. And for the first time, the program is offering an Educator’s Scholarship, providing up to three scholarship awards annually to support educators in attaining their MFA while continuing to teach. Each Educator’s Scholarship award will cover 10–50% of tuition costs for the duration of study in the low-residency program.
First round application reviews are currently underway, with second round reviews held in March. All candidates are encouraged to submit applications promptly to be considered for merit-based scholarships, as well as the Educator’s Scholarship. Remaining admissions and awards will continue on a rolling basis as space allows.
The MFA Visual Narrative program is chaired by illustrator and narrative artist Nathan Fox. His work has appeared in The New York Times, EW, Rolling Stone, Image, Marvel comics, and Scholastic Graphix along with visual development projects for MTV, Nickelodeon, Burton, Nike, 1800, AOL and many more. Faculty include such diverse professional storytellers as author Lisa Cron; editor and publisher Bill Kartalopoulos; historian and critic Leonard Marcus; photographer Stacy Renee Morrison; director Christina Roussos; designer/animator/mapmaker Tim Szetela; comic book artist and designer Jim Rugg; author Mark Sable; writer/game producer Ben Zackheim and television writer Ed Valentine, among others.
Story, Artist, Author. You?
Find Your Story at MFA Visual Narrative.
