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.
Graduates from PAFA’s MFA class of 2018 are mounting an exhibition this summer at 1969 Gallery in New York City's Lower East Sice, along with graduates from Boston University’s MFA program. This joint exhibition, titled MAP, features a selection of painting, sculpture, video, and installation work…
PAFA’s history and prolific collection of American art stretch back to the 18th century. Many works from the country’s earliest and greatest artists call PAFA home. PAFA is equally proud of the contemporary artists it collects. "Infinite Spaces: Rediscovering PAFA’s Permanent Collection" highlights…
During its most recent Collections Committee meeting, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) announced a relationship with the Paulson Fontaine Press to be the only East Coast repository for all of its prints by African American artists. The museum also added nearly 40 historic, modern and…
PAFA Digital Studio Technician Adrian Cubillas uses his knowledge of museum-quality imaging to help students get high-quality images of their artwork for documentation, applications, and printing. Having previously worked at the Philadelphia Museum of Art documenting artworks, Cubillas helps…
Helping young artists grow is a responsibility Sculpture department chair Rob Roesch doesn’t take lightly. Roesch has taught sculpture at PAFA for 35 years. In his time at the academy, he has watched the department expand, and worked to give students the same experiences he’s had as an artist.
MFA graduate Ha Ninh Pham came to PAFA from Vietnam, looking to grow his ideas. For his next journey, Pham is headed to Maine for the 2018 Skowhegan Summer Residency program. After this residency, Pham hopes to build up his body of work and experience so he can eventually return to Vietnam and teach…
Mario Scarlato (BFA '18) didn’t think PAFA was for him when he was deciding which art school to attend. But by his second year at UArts, Scarlato realized he wanted more painting instruction and transferred to PAFA.
Student walls at the Annual Student Exhibition are an expression of how artists have developed and changed during their time at PAFA. Candace Jensen (MFA ’18) and Rachel Means (MFA ‘18) discuss the path their work has taken as students in the MFA program.
PAFA President and Chief Executive Officer David R. Brigham, Ph.D has been named a senior advisor to the executive director of the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora. Established in 2001, the Center is committed to…
PAFA's After-School Studio Arts Program for High School Students educates 200-300 Philadelphia students each year. The program, which has been running for more than 20 years, is completely free to students. Every week, classes in drawing, oil painting, illustration, comics, life drawing, and anatomy…
In 2018, PAFA took over responsibility for more than 275 works by the late African American sculptor John Rhoden. As the curator of the John Rhoden collection, Brittany Webb is being tasked with stewarding Rhoden’s legacy through a major exhibition at PAFA and distributing the artist’s work among…
PAFA president and Chief Executive Officer David R. Brigham, Ph.D. was awarded an honorary Doctorate degree from Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania at the College's 149th Commencement on May 12, 2018. Brigham was one of four national and international leaders to be recognized during the ceremony…
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.
