STRATEGIC
PLAN
VERSION
2.0
INTRODUCTION
From the beginning, the New York Academy
of Art has embraced a curriculum that
transcended the prevailing notions of art and
art education. Founded by artists, scholars, and
patrons determined to provide an alternative
that was both traditional and contemporary,
the Academy has evolved into a locus for
information, training and challenging discourse
for anyone interested in contemporary
figurative art. We have stayed true to that
mission ever since and today are producing
a crop of skilled, articulate artists who are
filled with purpose, armed with technique,
and determined to make a contribution to
contemporary art.
PURPOSE
To provide the best possible education while remaining true to our founding principles, the Academy is embarking on a path of self-examination, growth, and betterment. Our hope is to chart a solid course into our future by clearly defining how we want to develop and what we hope to achieve in the foreseeable future.As part of this effort, the New York Academy of Art has developed an ambitious 2010-2015 Strategic Plan through a dialogue with trustees, faculty, administration, alumni and students. This document will shape the institution’s future over the next five years and beyond, while continuing the spirit of the school’s founding principles. This undertaking centered on four questions:
Who are we as an institution? Where do we want to go? How can we get there?
How we can we tell if we have achieved our goals?
The answers to these questions define our purpose: to train and prepare the world’s next generation of important figurative artists; to be a top venue for idea generation and dynamic dialogue; and to play a meaningful role in the art world as a promoter of figurative art. Achieving these ambitions will require the willingness to constantly measure our progress toward our purpose.
Our highest priorities for the next five years are to: strengthen our academic offerings; raise the Academy’s profile; attract more of the most talented students; provide
excellent facilities; recruit and retain the highest caliber personnel; aid students and alumni in the pursuit of their goals; improve the Academy’s financial position; and engage in a cycle of transparent self-study.
The quality and success of the educational experience is the ultimate barometer of what this plan achieves. What follows is our path for the next five years.
Senior Critic Will Cotton doing a demo in his Master Class.
MISSION
The New York Academy of Art is a
graduate school that combines intensive
technical training in the fine arts with
active critical discourse. We believe that
rigorously trained artists are best able
to realize their artistic vision. Academy
students are taught traditional methods
and techniques and encouraged to use
these skills to make vital contemporary
art. The Academy serves as a creative
and intellectual center for all artists
dedicated to highly-skilled,
conceptually-aware figurative and representational art.
The New York Academy of Art aspires
to be a center of creativity, learning,
and expertise in the field of figurative
art. Through an enduring commitment
to traditional skills and a strong
engagement with contemporary
discourse, the Academy will empower a
new generation of artists.
VISION
+ Education
+ Community
+ Creativity
+ Skills
+ Discourse
GOALS
ACADEMICS
Offer the best figurative and
representational art education possible.
PROFILE
Establish the Academy’s reputation as a leading graduate school of art by raising our profile in the arts and higher education communities.
APPLICANTS
Enroll the next generation of important figurative artists.
FACILITIES
Provide facilities that parallel the excellence of the educational experience.
LEARNING RESOURCES
Enhance opportunities for artistic growth by expanding and improving information and learning resources.
PERSONNEL
Ensure the Academy’s momentum by recruiting, retaining, and nurturing the highest caliber staff.
ASSESSMENT
eaffirm our values and measure our progress against our Strategic Plan by engaging in a continuous process of self-assessment.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Maintain a broad and lively offering of Continuing
Education classes that are compelling and in line with the mission of the Academy.
FINANCE
Secure the financial resources necessary to continually grow our educational offerings and ensure the Academy’s future.
BOARD
Ensure the Academy’s future by recruiting, engaging and retaining dynamic and committed trustees.
OBJECTIVES
+
Ensure a consistent standard of excellence throughout the MFA program by unifying the syllabi of different sections of the same courses.+
Develop classes that use traditional art-making methodologies to engage in contemporary discourse.+
Incorporate 21st century technology into the Academy’s curriculum to complement traditional practices with modern means.+
Maximize learning outcomes by making uninstructed classes mandatory and supervised.+
Broaden the educational experience by exposing students to a wide array of external perspectives and ideas.+
Expose our students and alumni to the global nature of figurative art by creating residencies in collaboration with international cultural and educational institutions.+
Attract and recruit the best faculty by offering increased visibility and support.+
Enrich our academic offerings and maintain relevance by hiring adjunct faculty with diverse backgrounds and visible careers.Offer the best figurative and representational art education possible.
GOAL 1 –
ACADEMICS
Steven Assael, Full-Time Faculty, demonstrating in class.
OBJECTIVES
+
Fortify the Academy’s role as a center of contemporary figurative art by heightening the visibility of our events, lectures, exhibitions and fundraisers.+
Facilitate and promote the successes of our alumni.+
Utilize the Academy’s artist community as ambassadors for the school and its mission.+
Create and apply a consistent and compelling identity through purposeful branding and messaging.Establish the Academy’s reputation as a leading graduate school of art by raising
our profile in the arts and higher education communities.
GOAL 2 – PROFILE
OBJECTIVES
+
Establish an ambitious schedule for increasing the total number of applicants.+
Develop a recruitment program that attracts the most skilled and talented candidates.+
Enroll the upper echelon of accepted applicants.Enroll the next generation of important figurative artists.
GOAL 3 – APPLICANTS
OBJECTIVES
+
Formalize a five-year Master Plan that details the improvement, expansion, and preservation of our physical plant.+
Improve student, staff and faculty facilities to better accommodate communication and community.+
Enhance the functionality, visibility, and appeal of our public and exhibition spaces.+
Create centralized work areas for each academic concentration that increase efficiency and focus.Provide facilities that parallel the excellence of the
educational experience.
GOAL 4 – FACILITIES
The Academy’s Art & Lecture series attracts renown artists and large audiences
OBJECTIVES
+
Advance traditional training by incorporating digital resources to support the core curriculum.+
Create collections that broaden the range of resources and address different learning styles.+
Increase the use of existing collections through expanded access and awareness.+
Designate spaces to explore and study.Enhance opportunities for artistic growth by expanding
and improving information and learning resources.
OBJECTIVES
+
Hire dynamic, creative talent for staff positions.+
Provide competitive compensation and opportunities for professional development.+
Foster a productive work environment where people feel valued and invested in the Academy’s mission.Ensure the Academy’s momentum by recruiting, retaining, and
nurturing the highest caliber staff.
GOAL 6 – PERSONNEL
Faculty Chair Wade Schuman leads the panel of critics at mid-term thesis critiques.
