Founded in 1805 as the first school and museum of fine arts in the United States, PAFA is a National Medal of Arts recipient that celebrates the transformative power of American art and art-making through its collections, exhibitions, and education programs.
While visiting her brother at the University of Pennsylvania, first-year MFA student Bhoomi Patel started looking for a graduate program so she could continue her at practice. Hailing from Ahmedabad, India, Patel said PAFA offered a flexibility that she didn’t have while completing her undergraduate…
Artwork from PAFA’s permanent collection is not only on view at the museum in Philadelphia but in exhibitions across the country and globe. Each year dozens of works are lent to museums that want to highlight American art. This fall, some of PAFA’s most important pieces are traveling to Germany for…
Second-year MFA student Mike Kondel had been helping artists make work as a master printer, but it wasn't until an encounter with MFA chair Didier William that he realized he was ready for a change in his own life. Coming to the MFA program, Kondel made a conscious decision to step away from…
Nzinga Simmons and T.K. Smith are recipients of the Tina Dunkley Fellowship in American Art, a 2-year fellowship providing hands-on training in curatorial practice and museum professions for individuals from historically underrepresented groups who have expressed an interest in American Art. Here at…
Lindsay Rapp '14 shares her paintings of mermaids and marine life to over 300,000 Instagram followers, and her artwork can be found in private collections across the world. But that wasn't the case during her time as a BFA student at PAFA. She credits painting professor Steven Nocella with the…
At Hahnemann University Hospital, PAFA students draw cadavers that have been donated, giving them an opportunity to learn and practice their skills. PAFA professor Anthony Ciambella said students incorporate the experience into their work in many different ways.
While working in PAFA’s Broad Street Studio, MFA student Rod Jones II reacts to the people walking by and how they interpret his work. In addition to reaction from people on the street, Jones recently received feedback from artist Doreen Garner. Garner visited PAFA as a part of the Visiting Artist…
"'Alter'ing American Art" (now on view through December 16th), features works from PAFA's Linda Lee Alter Collection of Art by Women, and looks at the shifting definition of what it means to be “American.” The curators of this exhibition are aiming to give voice to artists and people who are often…
“I came to Philly and toured and I loved it. I loved the city,” said Dara Haskins (BFA '19). “It just felt like a home away from away home, somewhere I could grow. Not just grow as an artist but also grow as a woman in Philly, I love it here.”
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) announces the addition of nine artworks to its permanent collection of American art, including works on paper, paintings and a monumental outdoor sculpture.
A 3-D print of a skull made its way to a forensic reconstruction workshop, and into the hands of PAFA student Kathleen Gallo. Through her work transforming the skull into a face, Gallo was able to help a family identify a missing person.
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is pleased to announce the election of Andrew Kress to its Board of Trustees. Kress is the CEO and founder of HealthVerity, a healthcare technology company.
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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About PAFA
Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the United States’ first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers a world-class collection of American art, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and educational opportunities in the fine arts. The PAFA Museum aims to tell America's diverse story through art, expanding who has been included in the canon of art history through its collections, exhibitions, and public programs, while classes educate artists and appreciators with a deep understanding of traditions and the ability to challenge conventions. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.
