The School of Visual Arts (SVA) is a private art and design college in New York City. It was founded in 1947 as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School, and has since grown to become one of the leading art and design schools in the world. SVA offers undergraduate and graduate programs in fine arts, graphic design, advertising, film and video, animation, illustration, photography, and more. The college is known for its faculty of distinguished artists, designers, and scholars, as well as its state-of-the-art facilities and resources. SVA is located in the heart of Manhattan, and has a diverse student body from around the world.