May 4, 2020—New York, NY—In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, School of Visual Arts (SVA) last week launched the SVA Student Emergency Relief Fund. With monetary support from the SVA Alumni Society and Visual Arts Foundation, the Fund provides emergency financial assistance to support currently enrolled, full-time graduate or undergraduate students, including international students, who are experiencing acute economic distress. An initial sum of $50,000 has been contributed by the organizations, and the Fund will continue to be sustained by donations.

The purpose of the Fund is to offer small microgrants to aid in unforeseen, unavoidable hardships. The SVA Alumni Society will grant approved applicants up to $500 for qualifying needs, including healthcare costs, emergency travel, food, loss of childcare and temporary unemployment and others. Students may receive one grant per semester, and a maximum of two grants during their SVA career, none of which need to be repaid. The number of students who can be served by the Fund is subject to the availability of funds. 

“Now more than ever, the welfare of our students is our top priority,” said David Rhodes, president of SVA. “The Emergency Relief Fund shows that even a little can go a long way, and we are grateful to the SVA Alumni Society and the Visual Arts Foundation for recognizing a need and collaborating so quickly. The impact of COVID-19 is an unprecedented and complicated event for institutions to grapple with, and SVA is no exception. And while we may not be able to physically gather together, we will continue to find new ways to bring our community closer.”

In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, SVA transitioned to online learning in mid-March. Since then, the College has taken a number of measures to ensure the well-being of its student body, including offering students a 50% refund of the department, course and access fees for the spring 2020 semester. Unlike tuition, which covers the broader costs of running SVA including its many valued faculty members, fees are directly associated with facilities and campus activities that have been closed and canceled. The College has also kept its residence halls open, giving students the option to remain in New York City until they are able to travel.

For more information on how SVA is responding to the coronavirus pandemic, and for the latest updates on campus facilities, visit sva.edu/coronavirus.

Visual Arts Foundation

The mission of the Visual Arts Foundation is to advance the arts as both individual vocation and social force. The Foundation supports emerging artists and broadens audiences for their work, fosters a climate that values and seeks understanding of the arts, and increases visual literacy and appreciation for "the artist’s life." The Visual Arts Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

SVA Alumni Society, Inc. 

SVA Alumni Society, Inc. is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that works to provide support for SVA’s most promising students. The Society works in conjunction with the Alumni Affairs and Development office at the School of Visual Arts serving as the vehicle for granting student scholarships and soliciting donations to fund the scholarships. Due to support from the School of Visual Arts, 100% of all donations to the Alumni Society go directly to the education and financial needs of current SVA students.

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, a dynamic curriculum and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. Comprising 7,000 students at its Manhattan campus and 38,000 alumni in 75 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world. For information about the College’s 31 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, visit sva.edu.