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The Creative Student's Guide to New York City Art Education and Careers

  ...for students of art, design, fashion design, photography, film/video, advertising, interior design and other creative fields.

  by C.J. Gustafson
  ArtSchools.com Contributing Writer

The location that became New York City was settled by the Dutch in 1625 and originally named New Amsterdam. Traditionally known as "the Big Apple" and the "Gateway to America," the city of New York is now home to just over eight million people, in an area that covers 320 sq. miles, making it one of the most densely populated cities in America. The ethnic diversity of New York contributes to the rich opportunities open to visitors who come for opera, Broadway shows, jazz clubs, major sports events, and, of course, the chance to stroll down Fifth Avenue -- the mecca of shopping. The city is also a museum lover's dream, featuring every conceivable type of exhibition, including the American Museum of the Moving Image, which showcases films, television and digital media.

Cultural Capital of the World

Any attempt to briefly describe the charms of New York City will fall short. There is just too much to mention and there is literally something for everyone. A short list of the best known arts and tourist spots in the "Cultural Capital of the World," includes Greenwich Village, Broadway, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, Ground Zero, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, and of course, Museum Mile, a stretch along Fifth Avenue that includes some of the most prestigious museums in the world.

Residents of Museum Mile include Metropolitan Museum of Art, with works from every part of the world, spanning the Stone Age to the twentieth century, the International Center of Photography, The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, Guggenheim Museum designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, housed in Andrew Carnegie's Upper East Side mansion, and four other repositories of cultural treasures. There are many other important art museums located throughout the city including The Whitney and the Museum of Modern Art. In all, NYC boasts over 70 museums covering art and culture from a variety of periods, mediums, and cultures.

Unique and Inspiring Arts Environment

There are few cities in the U.S. that have such a strong community of artists. Creativity, innovation, and passion for the arts are everywhere, providing an exciting and inspiring environment for artists. Writer and photographer Michelle Jackson was captivated by NYC's energy on a visit to the city. "I went to New York with a friend right after graduating from college and I was awestruck. All the famous places I had read about and seen in movies were right there before my eyes."

It was a trip to Greenwich Village that particularly impacted Jackson. "In the Village, everyone was so artsy. Not really in a presumptuous way, but just as part of the culture. There were lofts and studios everywhere and all the people we talked with had some creative project they were involved with. The idea of living there and working in those surroundings appealed to me so much that I went home, packed my stuff and moved there."

Art Schools and Programs

Jackson is one of thousands of artists who are attracted by the city's unique cultural atmosphere. The large selection of arts schools and programs draw students from around the world. Some institutions devoted specifically to the arts include the Katharine Gibbs School - New York, School of Visual Arts, The Art Institute of New York City, Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, New York Academy of Art, and the New York School of Interior Design.

The major colleges and universities with arts programs and schools include Eugene Lang College, Parson School of Design, Fordham University at Lincoln Center, Visual Arts Department, New York Institute of Technology, Fine Arts, the Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, and the Lebanese American University- School of Engineering and Architecture.

Several of the larger universities have multiple programs available. Columbia University's Barnard College has the university's Department of Art History, Film Department, the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, the School of the Arts, and the Teachers College, Art and Art Education Program. City University of New York's (CUNY) selections include the Department of Art, Department of Fine and Performing Arts, and Hunter College, Department of Art. New York University includes the Department of Art and Art Professions, Tisch School of the Arts, Department of Fine Arts and Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television.

Many other New York city institutions offer workshops, certificate programs, and professional learning opportunities. Schools in this category with a specific focus include the New York Independent Film School, the Institute of Classical Architecture and Classical America, New York Institute of Photography's workshops and worldwide distance program, the Van Alen Institute of Architecture, Lower East Side Printshop, Inc., Jewelry Arts Institute Inc., Art Muse - George Eastman House, Photography Programs, Chambers Pottery Inc., and the Digital Film Academy.

Others have a broader art focus such as Art Students League of New York, the Linos School of Art, and the Pratt Institute - Manhattan.

New York City's expansive list of arts education facilities provides students with opportunities to earn virtually any type of art degree including Advertising degrees, Architecture degrees, Interior Design degrees and Graphic Design degrees. They receive training for architectural careers, photography careers, fashion careers and a staggering number of other careers in the visual arts.

Opportunities for growth, education, employment, and freedom have been bringing people to New York City for centuries. And it is the wealth of opportunities that continue to draw visual arts students from across the globe. An amazing, diverse city known for encouraging creativity and self-expression, New York is one of the most popular locations for art students who want to explore life in the big city.

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