San Francisco Art Institute

The San Francisco Art Institute, or the SFAI is an accredited school of contemporary art for undergraduate and graduate students in San Fran. The institute is located in the Russian Hill district of the city. Degrees offered at the art school include: BA, MA, MFA, and BFA degrees as well as post baccalaureate certificates. The San Francisco Art Institute has 4 training and research sectors consisting of Public Practice, Media Culture, Art and Science, and Word, Text & Image. The degree programs include History and Theory of Contemporary Art, Urban Studies, Exhibition and Museum Studies, Painting, Sculpture, Film, Photography, Design and Technology, Printmaking and New Genres. For more detailed information about programs offered and admissions to the art college please visit the official San Francisco Art Institute website at http://www.sanfranciscoart.edu/

The San Francisco Art Association, or SFAA was founded in 1871 and started up the San Fran School of Design directed by famed landscape painter Virgil Macey Williams. The art college went through a series of name changes including the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art, the San Francisco Institute of Art, the California School of Fine Arts, and finally it was given it’s current name in 1961. Some notable alumni include Lance Acord (film director), Michael Arcega (sculptor), Butzon Borglum (creator of Mount Rushmore), Don Ed Hardy (tattoo artist), and Penelope Houston (lead singer of The Avengers).

San Francisco Art Institute address and contact:

San Francisco Art Institute (Main Campus)
800 Chestnut Street, San Francisco 94133, California
(between Jones and Leavenworth)
Phone number: 415.771.7020

San Francisco Art Institute (Graduate Center)
2565 Third Street, San Francisco 94107, CA
(between 22nd and 23rd Streets)
Phone: 415.641.1241

The San Francisco Art Institute features a mural by Diego Rivera titled 'The Making of A Fresco showing the Building of a City', created in 1931. This is one of the 4 murals in the Bay Area painted by the famous muralist from Mexico. Visitors can view the gallery daily between 8am and 9pm for free. Not only will you see Rivera's painting but you'll also find a variety of student artwork exhibitions.