213th Commencement Ceremony

Event Information
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Rotunda, Historic Landmark Building
Join Us
General – Day Of
Tickets Required

The 213th Commencement for the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts begins at 3:00 p.m. in the Historic Landmark Building's Rotunda.

2018 Commencement Speaker

Nick Cave, an American fabric sculptor, dancer and performing artist, will address the class of 2018 as the Commencement speaker. Cave's work is shown nationally and internationally, including at PAFA. Nick Cave: Rescue, currently on view in the Morris Gallery, Historic Landmark Building, through May 13, 2018, places three opulent sculptures by Cave in conversation with each other with selections from PAFA's permanent collection. 

2018 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient

Quentin Morris, a Philadelphia native who studied at PAFA from 1963-1967, will receive the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award. As a student at PAFA during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Morris began employing the color black in his work as a means of merging formal elements with conceptual and symbolic ones. He has continued using black throughout his career, using his monochromatic paintings and works on paper as a means of investigating themes surrounding identity, politics, and spirituality. 

2018 Alumni Service Award Recipient

John Thornton, who attended PAFA from 1976–1980, will receive the 2018 Alumni Service Award. He has remained an active and engaging member of the PAFA community through producing videos that highlight PAFA alumni and showcase their successes. Thornton and his videos, which he publishes on his YouTube channel for the public to view, have been a crucial way of keeping the PAFA community united and informed.

The public opening of the Annual Student Exhibition immediately follows Commencement in the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building.

PAFA welcomes the many family members and friends who are arriving on campus to celebrate Commencement with their graduating students.

Learn about the events that will take place throughout the weekend, Commencement ticketing information, and accommodations that will make your visit enjoyable and memorable.

Graduation 2018 Information

 

We're so excited you're planning to visit PAFA! 

Make time for art — visit us Thursday to Sunday.
Before reserving your tickets, please review helpful information about museum hours, accessibility, building access, and special admission programs. 

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If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at visitorservices@pafa.org — we’d love to help!

 

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